Runaways
by HeartBeatFailure-x
Summary: Matt and Mello are runaways, happy being so. But after a fateful situation, they find themselves having to stick around in one place for a lot longer than they'd intended.
1. Chapter 1

Runaways: Chapter 1

**Again.**

**_MATT'S point of view_**

It doesn't take much for Mello to get stressed. Not really. It usually takes around twenty seconds at the most of him not liking something to become stressed – and even then, there are so many out-puts of stress-appearing signs that sometimes, I wonder if Mello is even human. It can't be normal. If he's in a conversation with an annoying person, and they stress him out, he'll simply tell them so and walk off calmly, his heartbeat fluttering its way back to normality. Sometimes I get to hear that – it's a more discrete sign of his stress, though. More obviously, in a stressful situation like being stuck in traffic, he'll curse the heavens down with anything he has, maybe even break a few objects (which he'll get stressed out later for because he broke them) – they're the type of stressy moments that Mello has that I don't like. Because he scares me sometimes. Then there's the completely silent moments, where his body movements are cautious, uncertain and hesitant. If Mello isn't sure of something then it has to be bad, because he's always sure. Not being sure of things can stress him out too, he likes to know everything and anything, even down to the most weirdest things _ever, _like, who would want to know that Venus spins opposite to all other planets? Or that the first person that died on the Titanic was actually the last one to get a headstone, almost 100 years later? But he does. He likes those kind of things.

Ah, I digress. Not knowing how to act, or what to do, why someone has done something (to name a few) can blow Mello's stress-o-meter completely off the scale. He likes to keep control, and be in control, so that others can't control him. Though, Mello isn't one to be easily controlled or manipulated, I know that much. It takes a lot of force and maybe even a lot of time – especially when it comes to making big decisions, or being pressured into making decisions. These type of things make his stressed self very silent, so nobody knows what he's thinking or planning, so nobody can tell what he might do or say; he becomes completely unpredictable. You know how in the movies, the insane criminal is always the more dangerous one? Like the Joker in Batman or something, because he's so unpredictable, not like a normal criminal? Mello becomes that kind of unpredictable. When this happens, I tend to just stay quiet in the corner somewhere, preferably near a door or window for escape. I switch between watching him, reading books and thinking, that way he doesn't get too irritated. He gets a little snappy too, does Mello, with his voice or his eyes – they're so intense it's electrifying when he glares properly. But I love them. They're lovely to watch.

However, at the moment, we are in a stressful situation, and Mello is somewhere in the middle of his stress-o-meter. His heart is probably fluttering, but it's most likely because of the constant almost-jog pace that we've kept going since the train station. We've been doing it for a least two hours now, and no matter how jelly-like my legs feel, I can't let Mello down by slowing our pace. That, and the fear of being caught again is making my head swim, so I pace myself faster with my hand locked with Mello's – he's in front because he's better at sports than me – and almost level peg with him. Only for a few seconds though, cause I'm not that good. And I'm cold, wet, and physically exhausted from the previous running and the whole suddenness of the situation, but then again so is Mello. My point that Mello is _better _than me still stands. And also that he is still inhuman. My throat is getting clogged up with something, my mouth is dry and my lungs are burning – which is ironic because I smoke when I can get my hands on any cigs. I won't quit.

"M-Mel!" I rasp out, my jelly-legs wobbling with every stomped, quick-footed lunge I could still make – I don't even think you could call my running _actual _running – it's more like -…it's worse than a penguin. Mello turns quickly to face me, his ice-cold beautiful eyes strained with the need to reach somewhere safe. We stop, striding into a near-by bus shelter for cover, the rain thrashing down overhead. He takes his hand out of mine, fluffing up the collar of my coat and checking my temperature before resting his hands either side of my face, all the while my lungs are dying and I can't breathe. But it's ok, because we've stopped for a few seconds. Despite the fact my legs are growing steadily more numb. He releases my face and I double over, my hands gripping my wet jeans at the thigh as I cough up whatever I can, swallowing whenever possible to try and moisten my throat. Mello's still worried, I can't see his face like this but his hand is clenching and unclenching, his waist shifting from side to side as he checks out our surroundings.

I stand up straight and heave a sigh. "Mel?"

"I think we lost them now" He breathes, a cold whisp of a white cloud forming, that distant look in his eyes as he keeps checking, just to be sure. The sky is almost dark, and I briefly wonder what time it is. Or where we even are for that matter – we were in London, but had taken many random busses elsewhere, then a long train ride and then another couple of busses! But it doesn't dominate my thoughts for long. "Come on, we have to find somewhere to dry off and sleep or something – we can't afford to be sick" He takes my hand again in his – it's really warm too, despite being wet – and rechecks our position. No men in suits chasing us on foot – Level up for us! We're free! I grin and tug Mello from his peeking, pulling him back to me and noting that we were alone in the bus shelter. Giggles!

"What?" He sighs, quickly turning back and preoccupying himself with finding any suspicious people. Doesn't he get by now that _we lost them. _Bang goes the kissing in the moonlight theory.

"Fine, ignore me. S'alright" I snap my hand out of his and walk ahead, 'ahead' being in the general direction we were heading in – because we don't really have a destination in mind. Somewhere warm, preferably. Somewhere isolated where nobody will bother us.

"Hey" Mello hasn't moved from under the shelter, baring his _'awh, you srsly gonna' leave meh?'_ face. The rain that hand showered his hair has left it still dripping drops from the ends of his blonde matted hair, plopping on his shoulders. His cheeks are slightly pink, his face paler than ever. His eyes are still shocking, but they're shining like they do sometimes, playful. I put my hands behind my back, linking them by the fingers and spinning around to face away from him. I hear him scoff and imagine him folding his arms daringly across his chest. I look around out of habit, looking for anything odd or out of place, before walking ahead on my own, trying to find a hint as to where we were. Mello should be scowling by now—

He surprises me by quietly appearing behind me, his arms flinging themselves around my waist and pulling my body backwards and into his. He automatically kisses the nape of my neck, brushing his cold lips over to the right side and then proceeding to kiss my collarbone and suck it. I resist the urge to move my shoulder to irritate him, but I think we've both had enough irritation for today. He stops, his chin propping naturally over my right shoulder as he hugs me closer. The rain is easing off – it isn't as heavy as before. I hear Mello sniff, followed by his head leaning into mine slightly.

"We need to find somewhere to sleep" He reminds me. I scoff at this. I'm not much of a sleeper, never have been. It took _ages _for Mello to trust me with the night watch, not believing me. "Well I do, then. And right now, anywhere will do" Mello releases me and recaptures my hand in his, our fingers sliding together lightly. I don't want another night on the street. Not now it's all cold and wet and eugh. Mello hates it too, I know he does.

He'll never voice it though. He hates weaknesses. But sometimes, the streets is all we can do until we know we're safe to move on. I don't voice my opinion because what Mello says is what usually ends up happening. If Mello's prepared to sleep anywhere, and the first place we come across is a cozy looking ally-way, then we'll do it. And I don't want to complain, or make him think that I'm ungrateful. So I agree with everything he says, occasionally putting some challenges or oppositional ideas to keep him on his toes – but Mello has a brilliant mind, and I trust him. Even the streets were better than back with those Douche Bags and that fucking Officer Jenkins. We call him OJ for laughs – cause, y'know, OJ – Orange Juice - …whatever. It was funny at the time.

"Matt" Mello tugs my hand to get my attention and I realize that we've already started walking, started searching for somewhere to spend the night. I press my palm to Mello's, out hands interlocking fully as he scrutinizes every nook and cranny and building. I stay close in case we have to run again. Which I doubt. We ran for two hours and didn't even look back to see if they were still chasing us.

"Where are we?" I mumble, frowning and looking around at the high-street we appeared to be on. There were many shops, dolled up and looking new, used and well old dated buildings that seemed to be more appreciated and historic. The streets were cobbled, but pedestrian friendly and there weren't that many cars. But that would probably be because of the time. "What is the time?" I question quietly, looking around for maybe a church steeple, a town clock or something. I see a map over the road, a huge one. It's in a glass box or something, but there's a name at the top of the map, in huge white letters against the black frame. "Hey, Mel, we're in Wi-…Winch-…Winchester" I turn to him with a smile, but he's still looking around distractedly. Mission number two, find the time. I thought Mello had a watch? "Mel, do you-"

"Matt, shut _up!_" Mello's stress level has gone up a notch. He's Snappy. I blink and say nothing, turning my attention elsewhere. Mello does the same. I see a nice looking gentleman on the other side of the road, he doesn't look all that suspicious, maybe the black trench coat was a small reason to be wary, but it _was _raining quite heavily before. I wrench my hand out of Mello's and run across the road. By the time he acknowledges my reason, I'm too far ahead for him to stop me. I stop the man as best I can, without seeming like the hopeless, _homeless_, street-bound kid I was. He peers at me cautiously, but doesn't seem all that phased. I put on my polite face.

"Sorry to be a bother, but do you know the time?" He smiles, as if relieved that I wasn't going to ask for money or something, and checks the watch on his wrist.

"Almost half two in the morning – aren't you a little young to be out so late?" I smile at him with what Mello calls my 'convincing' face. What instant-lie will my brain make now?

"I just went to see a concert and it finished late – I'm on my way home now" He smiles and nods.

"You best get home safely then" I nod back and we continue our separate ways, him walking one way, I in the other, with Mello walking the same way as me only on the opposite side of the road. He's scowling. I stay on this side of the road until I'm sure that he's forgiven me enough to come over to my side, or until I'm sure that he won't kill me if I go over to his. Remember what I said about Mello being controlling, so that he isn't controlled? This would be one of those situations. I'm staying on This side of the road so that I can remain in the right for leaving him and going to find out the time. If I go over to That side of the road, then Mello will just scold me for leaving him and say that what I did was stupid and irresponsible, and I will be wrong, and Mello will be right. Mello knows this. It's my decision to go over to That side of the road, and therefore I am in control. HA! So Mello comes over to This side of the road and shoves me playfully in the arm.

"I won't rescue you if you get picked up by a paedophile, all because you left me"

"That's harsh" I pout. "I still want you to be my first" I smile bashfully, and then look away as he smiles. I know I'm not Mello's first, so the topic's still a little strange. We're still underage after all.

"So? What did you find out?" He sighs, tiredly.

"We're in Winchester and it's nearly half past two in the morning"

"Winchester?" He sighs. "Well we're not going to find much in the way of abandoned buildings here – it's all rich and cultural"

"There's a cathedral, right?" I ask.

"Yes – not been in there before. It's the most popular attraction" Mello says offhandedly. Remember what I said about him retaining weird things? Well, maybe that's more of a known fact, but still. "We're not sleeping in the Cathedral, Matt" Mello rolls his eyes, but I wasn't even thinking that. Though, now he put the thought in my head… No. Don't want to sleep near a graveyard.

We're still walking down the pavement, slow steps and no destination.

"Winchester's actually quite interesting y'know. There's a sculpture in the cathedral square – visitors can change the colors of it…you might like that" Mello says randomly.

"Really?! Where?" I look about, enthralled by the idea of something technological and modern in the archaic looking town. Pretty though. But yes, technology! Mello shakes his head and I get the feeling that it's not within eyesight, this _sculpture _thing.

"Jane Austen was also laid to rest in Winchester Cathedral" He supplies.

"Who?"

"Never mind" Mello laughs lightly. "and Keats got his inspiration from here, for _'To Autumn'_"

"Cool"

"You don't even know who Keats is" He chuckles, stroking my hand with his thumb.

"Uhm, a famous…poet?"

"You guessed" I grin and say nothing. Yes, I did guess. Who was I to read poetry? Shakespeare scared me off ages ago, all his poetry in plays…strange man. "There's a B&B there…" Mello stops, looking ahead at a glowing Bed and Breakfast sign. "Thirty five pound per person?" Mello's tone dismissed the place altogether. "You look tired, though"

"Not" I frown.

"It's ok y'know" He reassures me.

"I'm not tired" He know's im not a big sleeper.

"I doubt you've slept for over a week, Matt"

"I slept on the bus, I'm fine"

"Matt, think of it as recharging" He turns to me worriedly. "Not sleeping for a whole week is damaging to your body"

"You let me smoke" I argue.

"And I hate it every time" He scowls. "Once we find somewhere, you're sleeping. I'm too buzzed up to actually nod off anyways"

I sigh in defeat and then spot something out of the corner of my eye, across the road. I debate not telling him so that the argument can be left alone, but I find my head pulsing with the thought of sleep. Maybe Mello was right, maybe I did need to 'recharge' myself. The last thing I needed was to be collapsing in the middle of an escape.

"What about there?" I sigh and indicate over at the pretty much small and abandoned building, hidden slightly by the new shop put up in front of it.

"It's perfect. Let's go" Mello pulls me over and pushes in some boarding that's already barely clinging to the window frame. He gracefully jumps inside first, and then helps me in as I wobble un-athletically over the window ledge. He looks around and nods. "It'll be fine" He pulls out a sleeping bag from his huge bag-pack – which I forgot to notice because he wears it so often it's practically become an actual _part _of his back – before laying it down and taking off his drenched coat, his most likely damp vest before pausing with his thumps in the rim of his pants – also dripping with rain drops and in need of drying. He smiles mischievously at me. "See something you like?" He shimmies them off slowly for my entertainment, leaving me blushing and very very warm, allowing them to drop to his ankles before he kicks them off, picks them up and straightens them out, hanging them over a pipe.

He shuffles over to me, kissing my cold nose – his lips now warm – before unzipping my jacket and tossing it near that pipe. He them kisses my cheek, then off comes my sodden-through stripy jumper – then he kisses my lips, lightly. Unlike Mello, my torso wasn't exactly the most toned thing ever, but it wasn't all fatty and disgusting. It was ok, just thin. Mello called it anorexic sometimes, which hurt my feelings cause I always ate noodles. I flick off my shoes and peel off my socks with my toes – _genius!_-, leaving my exposed feet to the chill in the air of the building.

His fingers pause at the belt of my trousers, but I wriggle away and go to pick up the jacket and jumper, putting them on the pipe. Mello's behind me again, his hands on my hips, sneaking over my waist so that he can undo the belt from behind. By the time it _'clicks' _open, his thumbs are already tugging the pants down as he kisses my neck, distracting me. I sigh and spin, full on kissing him – tongue and all – as he does things with mine that fifteen year olds like Mello really shouldn't know. He pulls away.

"All warmed up now?" I nod, my trousers falling to my ankles. "Good. Go get some kip" He refers to the sleeping bag and watches me step out of my jeans and tread over there carefully. By the time I'm snuggled inside, warm and now strangely very tired, he's hung the socks and the trousers on the pipe next to the rest of the clothes.

"Are you sure you're ok to-" I yawn, finishing lamely with "stay up"

"I'm not that tired. I'll amuse myself – I'll make a list of things to do or something …gimmee the bag" I reach behind me and haul the bag to his side. I curl up the sleeping bag around Mello, my head on his leg and my legs over his other leg to keep him warm.

"Night Mel" I whisper. He smiles and kisses my head.

"Night"


	2. Chapter 2

Runaways: Chapter 2

**The necessesary and the Not-so.**

**_MELLO'S point of view_**

Matt's asleep within minutes of lying down and it makes me smile because I was right. That kid can go a while without sleeping – longer than most, I'll admit – but we've had a tough week, and I'm conscious of the fact that I haven't seen him sleep yet. Not once. So I made him. I sneak glances at his face every now and then, his soft breaths feather-light and innocent. The sleeping bag has been pulled right up to his chin and he looks snug warm. He's the cutest thing, in my eyes, and though I'd never admit that out loud, I really do mean it.

We met two years ago; I had just turned thirteen and it was new years, we were at a party because some of our relatives were friends with someone or other – we both went for the orange juice at the same time – we weren't allowed alcohol. Matt was only eleven, not having had his twelfth birthday yet, but he was all bedraggled, his hair all tufty and his clothes way too big for him. He looked like he didn't want to be there _at all. _The fat bruise on his cheek bone attracted me to him, initially anyway, and I befriended him with ease. He was a similar age to me after all.

We sat in the garden among stumbling half-drunk women in high heels and jolly men in shirts, quietly perched on the garden swing near the back. After a while, we thought it funny to drink the leftover wine in the peoples glasses, going round the tables and sipping the glasses whilst they were up dancing, and before we knew it we were stumbling around just as stupidly as those women. I don't remember being separated from him, but I remember waking up in my bed, scolded by my foster mother, and not seeing him until February – I was at the park with my foster parents and the other kids, and he was on the swing, all tufty haired, bedraggled and cute-looking. So I went to join him. It was his birthday and his parents had died three nights prior, but he wasn't sad. He said he was perfectly happy enjoying himself at the park alone – so I said goodbye and walked away – but he didn't mean it like that. Being thirteen, and thinking I was an adult now, meant I wanted to give him a present, but I had nothing.

I didn't tell my foster mother that his parents had died and Matt never told me if he was in the System now, seeing as he was an orphan. He stayed over one night, then the next, then the next, continuously making up believable lies that his parents said it was ok because they worked a lot. I felt mean lying to my foster mother, agreeing with what Matt said, but if it meant more sleepovers with Matt then I was all for it. My foster mother began to worry when it was almost a week. Matt walked me to school but never went in. He left, always waiting at the gates when I'd come out.

On the twelfth of February – no special date – we were walking home from school when I got a bad feeling in my gut. Something that told me I'd be losing Matt soon, and I didn't want that to happen. Sure, I was thirteen now, but I knew the difference between brotherly love and something else. This was something else. It was embarrassing enough when you have your male friend stay over and some nights you end up being 'stuck to the sheets'. Matt never noticed. But at the thought of losing Matt, I made him promise never to forget me. He got worried and asked if I wanted him to leave; I apologized so many times for giving him that idea. I could never want him to leave. I told him that and we held hands discretely on the way home, it making my stomach flutter violently (like butterflies) – Matt was too innocent to think otherwise, or at least, I thought he was.

At the last corner before the turn to my house, he stopped me and kissed me. It wasn't the best kiss _ever, _but there were fireworks and tingly feelings. So it was fantastic. I kissed him back – which felt good too – but I knew that being gay – or even bi, there was this girl I liked before Matt (teenage hormones maybe?) – wouldn't come without its fair share of bullying and taunts at high school. The issue was never a problem from then on.

The school noticed Matt at the gates and wondered why he was never in school – luckily for us, my school didn't have a uniform.

The school then spoke with my foster mother, who word-vomited all her concerns about Matt to them, and then to Social Services as well. So when we came home that night, spectacularly elated from our first kiss around the corner, I was faced with Matt being torn away from me by social services. Literally _torn _from my own hands. I had nothing to eat that night, and I went to bed wet faced, teary eyed and angry.

The next day was a repeat, no eating, no talking, avoiding my foster mother at all costs and holing myself up in my room like a kid in a great teen angst movie. My emo-ness was short lived; Turns out it wasn't the first time Matt had been 'removed' from situations and put in temporary care. So he was well known with lock picks, evading security guards and _loved _it when they put electronic alarms on things. He was at my window at ten past one in the morning, watching me as I sat completely depressed on my bed. He knocked, grinned and beckoned me over.

We ran away that night, and we've been together ever since. Officer Jenkins has been tailing me for running from my foster parents, and Matt because he _has _no legal guardian. So we keep running.

"Mornin" Matt yawns, blinking at me innocently. "You got changed" He pouts playfully, scowling at my clothing and then at my face. He relaxes. "Oh god" He rolls his eyes and sighs heavily. "You look like a face with a bunch of things to do today"

"We can stay here in Winchester and do them, or keep on going elsewhere" I tell him. I've been thinking about it all night – reminiscing about how we met took up at least an hour of my time, so I had plenty of time to think of what to do and make a list. So now I have one. But that depends on if we risk staying, or if we move elsewhere. I don't feel completely comfortable staying. But with the thirty pounds that I counted before – it's making me insecure. If we had to run away again, thirty pounds won't get us very far. We need to stay, really, even if it's to work all day and all night to boost up our finances.

"Stay" Matt decides, sitting up and stretching. "I wanna' see that light-up thing" I roll my eyes.

"If that's what you're basing your opinion on, I'm sure there's-"

"M'not" He shrugs, defending himself. "We can't have that much money left Mel…we should do something" I nod in agreement and pull the list from its weighted position under my shoe. "That's not a long list…what were you doing all night?" I ignore him. Partly because I spent the rest of the night worrying, but I am not going to tell him that.

"I need you to make the new ID's. If we're gonna' work, we need them to know we're legal"

"Mel, you might get away with an eighteen this time" He says, hopeful. I shake my head. "But you're hot!"

"Fine. I'll go find a whore-house and make money that way, okay?" He looks horrified, grabbing my legs and shaking his head rapidly.

"God no! I'm not gonna' have sex with you if you have an STI or something" I can't help but laugh at this. "It's not funny!"

"I won't get away with an eighteen Matt" I remind him, bringing him back to the topic at hand. I'm fifteen, might get away with a sixteen-looking passport. Matt's only just fourteen and mature for his age – tall, too. But he'd never get away with looking like an eighteen year old.

"Can I make you one anyway?" He asks, peering up at me through his shaggy red hair. "It won't have a picture for now, but we can do that later"

"Whatever, I need one that says I'm sixteen" Matt nods – it's become routine for him to make the fake ID's – and he does it to perfection. "Can you get away with a sixteen, do you reckon?"

"I'm taller – I wanna' try an eighteen"

"Matt" I warn, frowning. "If I can't look eighteen then you cant – you're too cute"

"I'm taller than you" For a moment, I think it'll work. I think that he could pass as an eighteen year old, despite being only fourteen.

"No" I decide. "No. We both make it sixteen"

"Mel" He whines, stoking the instep of my foot with his thumb.

"No. Hop to it" I pass him the two ID's to amend and make, shuffling away from his teasing hands and grabbing my wallet from the bag.

"What're you gonna do?" He asks, looking up at me questioningly.

"I need to buy a paper…find some jobs – anything'll do as long as it pays"

"Whore house" Matt scrunches up his face in distaste and sticks out his tongue. I smile.

"Maybe a lap dancing club – will that make you feel better?" He bits his lip and turns his head away. "I was kidding"

"I know" He mumbles, defensively. Secretly, I think he gets a little jealous sometimes. I ruffle his hair, kiss his lips and scoop up my wallet before leaving.

OOO

On the way to the nearest newsagents, I see an advert in the window for waiter-staff at an expensive looking restaurant. I debate going in, but I can't decide, so I head for the newsagents, buy the paper and walk back slowly in thought, pausing outside the restaurant again before deciding to be daring. It was an on-the-spot interview. They paid cash, which was a bonus, and I got to keep tips. They asked for a CV or something, I lied and told them I was interested in the job but didn't expect to get as far as the interview, so I came unprepared. They were impressed with my social skills alone and let me have an hour trial under the agreement that I'd bring in some ID and my CV the next day. I agreed, did the one hour trial and impressed them right through the roof. They told me the job would still be here if I came back with the necessaries tomorrow and I could start as soon as, but if not, they'd keep searching. They asked for a mobile number, which reminded me to get another SIM card for our phones, but I told them I'd give it to them tomorrow – I'd have a new phone by then because my old one got dropped in the lake by my pet dog Doodles.

On the way back to the abandoned building, dubbed 'Home' for now, I stop in at a phone shop, advertising 'free SIM cards' so I get two. I also spied an OK looking motel, lit up with neon lights and such, for only ten pounds per person. If we did our usual trick, we'd be fine. When I get back, Matt's dressed in his clothes and going through things in the bag, seeing what we have and what not. I watch him from the window for a few seconds before jumping in. He whirls around in shock, ready to bolt, but see's it's me. I offer him a smile.

"You're back" He says, dropping the objects and rushing over to me. "It shouldn't have taken an hour – I-…." He worries.

"It's ok – I'm back now. Are the ID's done? I think I landed myself a job" He smiles, but doesn't look too surprised, turning back to his pile of things.

"Yeah, here" He passes the ID to me and I put it in my jacket pocket.

"I also need a CV" He stays expressionless.

"Don't ask me to do that" He says, completely dead-pan.

"You're a fast typer. If we go to the library, we can print it off. Just type what I say" He rolls his eyes and I kiss him to cheer him up. "You'll need one too – I'll tell you what to type as well" He looks ready to cry. "Oh, here, I have a new SIM card for your phone"

OOO

We walk up to the library, Matt's index and middle finger hooked onto mine. The library is a large brick building with big black letters announcing the fact that it's a 'Library' – so we head on in, feeling slightly out of place. Well, Matt instantly heads over to the computers with a fond look in his eye whilst I remember why I hate libraries. Way too quiet, even for me. It's 50p per half hour on the computers, so Matt decides it's a challenge, getting slightly irked that the computer is slowing him down. He Google's 'CV's' to try and get a better idea of what to put in them, giving the website the once over before putting all the details in. We get a bit hung up over the fact that we have no General Certificate of Education or whatever it is, but we'd agreed before now that when the time came for our year group to sit the exams, we'd enroll in the school a few months before – somewhere remote hopefully – and take them. We can just say we were home schooled, we try and keep up with the education system, or at least, I _do _and I try and _force _Matt to as well – he hates school with a ferocious passion, it's ridiculous.

Matt types up mine in twenty minutes, but by the time it comes to typing his, he has a better idea of how to word it and what to include. He finishes his with two minutes to spare, so we set the documents to print – black and white – which is free – and log off before the old Bat at the desk starts to charge us. She glares at us on the way out.

I show Matt the restaurant, handing in my CV and showing them my passport. They were a little bit bothered by the whole no-qualifications thing, but accepted me with smiles and a new work Rota with my shifts on it. As soon as we were out of sight of the restaurant, Matt shoved me out of sight and kissed me.

"You're amazing" He pulls off and walks away as if it never happened, laughing to himself as I catch up. "I thought that there'd have to be an excuse, or that, like, we're at school so we can only work part time or something. I didn't expect you to land it!" I shove him playfully, but he trips over his shoes like the clumsy ass he is (and those shoes are probably too big) and knocks a smartly dressed dude in a suit. One that looked like he could make a court case out of a dusty shoe.

"Woah, careful there" I watch with caution as the guy puts both his hands on Matt's shoulders to steady him. _Restrict him, more like._ I suck in a breath, bracing my feet on the floor and trying not to lunge at the creepy guy and snatch Matt back. Matt apologizes instantly, but the guy doesn't release Matt. Instead, he bows slightly to our level and talks to us like _kids. _"Aren't you kids supposed to be in school?" Why would he ask that? Seriously! Alarm bells chanting paedophile echo in my brain. I give him the once over and he gives me chills. Matt tenses visibly at the question, but puts on his Convincing Face and spouts out a lie.

"We just moved here – we should be enrolling soon, at the er…the local one" He beams a smile and the man smiles back. God Matt's smiles are contagious, even for paedophiles.

"The one up the road?" Matt cluelessly nods. "I'm a teacher there" The man laughs, a perfect row of teeth being displayed as his light brown hair shifts with the obvious cut of a Salon or something. I grimace. _We're not going there then._ "Hopefully I'll see you two around then, when you enroll. The sooner the better, y'know" He jokes.

"Yeah…" Matt agrees quietly.

"I'll expect to see you tomorrow then! Your parents don't have to come if they're busy, but we will need them to sign a few things-" I've _had it! _

"Yeah, yeah sure" I attempt to smile and be friendly but I just _can't_. He's too damn _weird_. "Bye" I take Matt's hand in mine and drag him away from the weird guy, Matt trailing behind me with a cute smile and completely innocent to the whole thing. Damn him.


	3. Chapter 3

Runaways: Chapter 3

**Matt's Turn.**

**_NOBODY'S Point of View_**

**(3****rd**** person, if you wanna' get technical ^_^.)**

Mello walked ahead for the first minute or so, but eventually cooled down and evened his pace to match Matt's. Their fingers were still linked together lightly, so casually that it probably wouldn't have turned any heads. After the first five minutes of silence, Matt began to worry and his pace slowed down, dragging his heels on the pavement as they continued on in silence.

"Mello? You alright?" Matt asked, shuffling closer to the blonde and fully entwining their hands for comfort. Mello gave it a small squeeze and nodded in reply, but didn't say anything; Matt wondered if his stress levels had peaked.

"I saw an OK looking motel back there, a tenner per person. If we do our usual trick then it should be ok" Mello shrugged. "And if I start work tomorrow, then I'll only need to work three hours at least, cause the minimum wage is £3.64….so if I work three hours at least, per day – then that's the rent sorted" Matt said nothing in response. "You didn't get a word of that, did you?"

"Hm? No, I did. It's just…nothing" He finished, lamely.

"What?" Mello squeezed Matt's hand for support, swinging it slightly. Matt sighed.

"Nothing. Forget it, my mouth was moving faster than my brain was working" He laughed it off and Mello said nothing more, smiling at the red head whenever he looked over. When they reached the abandoned building, they packed up their things – though, not much had been brought out of the bags – and headed back the way they had come, Mello leading the way to the motel. Matt briefly complained, the walking and outdoor air was _enough _for one day, but Mello reminded him more than once that they had things to do.

The blonde was also graced with the red heads excitement upon seeing the motel – it wasn't spectacular, but it was certainly one of the better places they had slept in. It looked new and refurbished, and Matt just _knew _that there would be a T.V in the room somewhere. Excited, he proceeded to the reception area whilst Mello went elsewhere, carrying the bag that Matt usually carried and gripping his wallet too. The lady at the desk looked up as Matt approached on his own, her brown hair tied back in a French twist, her hazel eyes poking over some thick, black rimmed glasses.

"Hello there, how can I help?" She asked politely, turning to her computer for a moment before flashing Matt a smile. Matt smiled his 'convincing smile' and leant on the desk.

"I'd like a single room please" She nodded, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks as she typed something up, turning back to him.

"For how long?" She smiled, flirtatiously this time.

"Just the one night for now" She nodded again and turned back to the computer, glancing back at him warily.

"I'm sorry to do this, but do you have any ID? I know it's a pain, but well…" Matt smiled, her tone of voice and the look on her face reading something along the lines of '_please be legal' _– Matt ignored it and passed her his new, _fake, _passport. "That's great, thanks" She pushed it back to him over the counter, letting their fingers brush. "So a single room, for the night. Do you want a wake up call, or room service?"

"No thanks, just the room" She nodded and smiled, typing up something else before printing it off and having him sign a sheet. He panicked for a moment, forgetting what to sign his name as. He settled on _Martin Jeel _and memorized the name.

"Cash or credit card?" He passed her the ten pound note and she smiled, handing him the receipt. Again, their fingers brushed. "There you go, Room fourteen, Blue. It's the Blue building on your left – first floor up on your left. There's outdoor stairs too – I can show you if you like?"

"No, I'm sure I can find it. Thanks a lot" He smiled and took the key that she'd taken from a box under the desk.

"Enjoy your stay" She smiled.

"I will, thanks" He turned and walked out, heading to the left as she'd said and facing a good sized blue building. Mello appeared at his side in an instant. "We're in there. Room fourteen" Matt said.

"I _love _it when you get all manipulator on people" Mello gripped Matt's hand with a wide grin. "I bet she was a smiler, did she smile a lot?"

"Yeah…yeah she did" Mello laughed, letting Matt take the lead towards their room.

"I bet she would've flirted with you if you let her" Mello teased and Matt said nothing. Mello gasped. "She _did _flirt with you? For a social recluse, you're damned good at making people believe things" Matt blushed and felt his body heat up as Mello placed a well deserved kiss on his head.

"Thanks" Once they were inside their room, Mello flung himself on the bed, face down, arms and legs spread outwards like a starfish. Matt sighed and perched on the end of the bed, near Mello's foot, but, quickly feeling the weight of the bag pack digging in his back, quickly shuffled it off and let it flop to the floor. He noticed the paper sticking out of the corner and preoccupied himself with finding a job. It was a further ten minutes before he realized that Mello hadn't said a word since he'd come in, so he dropped the paper and turned back to face the blonde, laying comfortably face down, tilted a little to his right.

"Mel?" He whispered, stroking the others leg lightly with his finger. It twitched, but nothing more. _He's asleep. _Matt left the blonde alone, circling a few jobs in the paper before going over the details. He found one locally in a small store, near the motel which was good, and even better – it was the night shift! The only downside to that was that if Mello worked days and he worked nights, they'd never see each other. And if something went wrong, they wouldn't be able to reach the other in time. Also, they would pay his wages directly into a bank account, one that Matt didn't have.

Still, Matt debated it. It wouldn't be the first time that something like this had happened. There'd always be some time to make up for it, and if not, the hours could be interchangeable. Mello knew that Matt preferred to work nights, he got more done – like a night owl – but, as Matt glanced over at the sleeping blonde, so vulnerable and angelic, he wondered if it would endanger them if they were separated so far in the day.

Indecisively, Matt took his phone –and newly inserted SIM card- and rang the number for the job at the local store. The woman on the line, Lottie, said that they'd prefer him to work nights, starting as soon as possible, but he could choose his own hours based around midnight and six o'clock in the morning. He agreed, and Lottie said that he should come in for an interview at five o'clock. Matt checked his watch. It was already half past three, and he had to make a new bank account. He said he'd make it and left Lottie with his new number.

They hung up and Matt double checked that Mello was still asleep before pulling on his boots and taking his CV out of Mello's bag. He left a quick note on the pillow by the blonde's head, just in case he woke up, though, Matt wasn't sure when Mello would wake up because he hadn't slept the night before. He checked he had his fake passport before considering taking the eighteen-year-old-Matt one that he'd made.

He took it anyway, putting them in separate pockets before checking he had everything he needed. He took the keys and locked the door – at least Mello would be safe – heading firstly to the bank, and then to the destination of the store.

When Mello woke up, Matt was just coming out of the shower, a towel around his waist and another one being run over his hair.

"Hello there" Matt smiled teasingly as Mello turned over groggily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Hi" He mumbled, a yawn catching onto the end. "What're you doin'…" Matt pulled on some underpants and the black trousers that the work-place had given him as a uniform. "They're not jeans…" Mello yawned again, rolling onto his back and putting an arm over his eyes, before realizing that it wasn't actually that light. "What time is't?"

"Nearly quarter past ten" Matt shrugged, discarding the towel around his waist and flinging it onto the bed. He pulled the black, grey and green polo shirt over towards him and flung it over his head, poking his arms through.

"Where'd you get them clothes?" Mello asked, crawling to the end of the bed and squinting at the logo. "Eh?"

"There's a store down the road…they wanted someone to work the night shift"

"Night shift?" Mello sighed, flopping himself onto his stomach and over the end corner of the bed, bending his knees so his feet were in the air. "Didn't you think about the consequences of that? If I work days and you work nights, we won't be in immediate contact if we had to-"

"I know, I know. But get this" Matt pulled on his socks and shoved on his shoes, a smile on his face. "They thought I was eighteen" Mello's face dropped.

"They _what?_"

"Well, they were filling in the form and everything and they automatically ticked the eighteen box, and then asked if I was. So I said I was and showed them the other passport instead – so I get paid £4.92" He stuck his tongue out at the blonde. "I told you I could do it" Mello huffed, flopping his face into the bedding and grumbling.

"If you get us caught…" He threatened. Matt jumped forwards, putting his hands on either side of Mello's face reassuringly.

"I won't. I promise. I'll behave like a mature adult and pretend I know all about sex with girls and everything that an eighteen year old should know" He beamed.

"It's not right…" Mello sighed. "How on earth did they think that you, a fourteen year old, could look like an eighteen year old? It's impossible"

"Im tall" Matt grinned.

"You're fourteen. I'm _fifteen. _If I can't, then you shouldn't be able to"

"I told you that you could – you didn't believe me" Matt argued.

"Whatever" Mello sighed. "Won't you get tired?"

"You know I'm not a big sleeper" Matt held up a bottle of coke. "I'll be fine" Mello rolled his eyes.

"What can I do now?" He asked.

"I dunno. I'm going to work, im gonna' look around the store and stuff, and then at quarter to eleven they're gonna' give me a mini introduction and then I'll start at half eleven. That's what whatsername said. I'll be back at five, OK?" Mello nodded cautiously. "I'll keep my phone on"

"You better" Mello threatened again, scowling. "Don't let it die or anything"

"Hey Mel?" Mello looked up to show that the red head had his attention. "Do we need food? If I get there early I can buy a few things"

"We only have twenty quid left Matt, and then that's it. Gone. Nothing more until we get paid"

"I get paid by the hour – oh – I opened a bank account cause the money goes straight in"

"My _God_!" Mello jumped up, furious. "Are you insane? Do you _want _us to be found? What the hell were you thinking?!"

"No, Mel, I put it in a different name! It's ok! It's ok!" The red head was cornered, backed up against the wall with the dresser on his left and the Tv-stand on his right. Mello was glaring at him straight on. "I made a whole new identity – Martin Jeel – it's in his name, it's all fine. Trust me" Matt put his hands either side of Mello's face again and leaned in to kiss him. Mello turned his head and whacked the hands away. "Mel?" Matt whined, hurt.

"Go to work" Mello snapped, his fingers rubbing his head as he sat back on the single bed. Matt moved over cautiously.

"You didn't answer my question – do we need food?"

"Probably, yes. Goddamnit, does it _matter? _When was the last time we ate anyway! Personally, my stomach isn't rumbling just yet, I'm sure I can last another fucking day" Matt froze in the icy glare of the blonde, a shiver running back and forth up his spine.

"M'sorry…" He whispered, turning and unlocking the front door. As soon as his back was turned, Mello was behind him, gripping the door inches away from Matt's own hand. His breath tickled the back of Matt's neck.

"It wouldn't hurt to buy drinks. And food that can last a while"

"Like soup" Matt whispered, his stomach doing back flips as Mello's hand curled protectively around his waist. "And sweets?"

"Chocolate" Mello reminded, placing his chin on the red heads shoulder and pecking the collarbone near by. "That's good too"

"D-…do you want to come?" Matt asked hesitantly, briefly feeling Mello's presence disappear before reappearing again once Matt had turned around.

"Sure" Mello had put his hoodie on instead of his jacket. "Why not" He tossed Matt a similar one, if not the same, both plain and black. Matt had forgotten he was bare armed. Their hands linked. "Let's go"


	4. Chapter 4

Runaways: Chapter 4

**Shopping.**

**_MATT's Point of View_**

As we walk to the store, I can't help but notice how snugly warm Mello's hand is in mine [insert very happy smiley here]. It's like the just-got-out-of-bed-cozy warm, so I keep squeezing it to warm my own hand up. He doesn't seem too annoyed anymore, which is a good thing. I was worried that he'd blow off at me completely, his reaction to the bank account worried me even more – I really hope he trusts me as much as I trust him. Trust is a hard thing to earn with Mel, and if I have it, I don't want to break it. I thought I had it in the bag when he first let me take the night watch, and that was a while ago. Still…

As we head into the store, me being me – the first thing my eyes see is the new game that's coming out. It's stood glamorously on a row of shelves in front of the huge promotional poster, and it looks so awesome!

"Oh my gosh – look!" Mello jumps as I fling myself towards the game, picking it up and memorizing the cover back to front. "It's new! And shiny!"

"Matt, you don't have a Nintendo" Mello reminds me sadly.

"I do!" I all but squeal.

"_Did" _Mello corrects. "Officer Jenkins probably has it stored in a box with your name on it or something" I put the game back dejectedly, stroking its spine fondly.

"Can't we buy it and then get the Nintendo back?" I ask. I know my efforts are futile now, Mello has dismissed the idea, but still…

"No" Mello scolds me. "What's the point, it'll be sitting uselessly in the bag until we're stupid enough to get taken back by OJ" Mello sighs heavily, closing his eyes. I've annoyed him again. Or maybe he's just tired although he _has _just slept – maybe he hasn't woken up, or maybe he has an oncoming migraine. He gets those sometimes…

"Im annoying you today, aren't I?" I ask quietly.

"No, no you're not" Mello says softly, reconnecting our hands and stroking my thumb with his. "It's just the situation. That's what's annoying" I nod and we leave the games alone, heading elsewhere in the store for the food.

"So, soups…chocolate…sweets…coke?"

"If we can afford it" Mello frowns. "I'll add it up as we go along" The best thing about Mello is that he comes with an inbuilt calculator in his head! That is _amazing. _"We have to be careful though, the more things we buy, the more weight we have to carry around" He pauses. "I say 'we' I mean me" I frown at this.

"We take turns" Mello rolls his eyes at me and bumps into me playfully.

"Every blue moon" He briefly wraps an arm around my waist as he leans to reach a couple of bars of chocolate from the shelf. "Hold these" He moves over to the other side and scrutinizes the brand. "Damn…"

"What?" I shuffle over behind him and peek at the prices.

"Nothing, as per usual the high-cocoa ones are more expensive, but they don't melt so much"

"Uhm…cool?"

"No, not cool" Mello sighs and stands upright, his lean body extending into his 'I'm superior' pose. Hand on hip n' everything! "So not cool" He mumbles, glancing at the bars in my hand. "Those will do – soups next" He leads the way, moving in and out of the aisles whilst plopping things in my arms. I manage to juggle them as I check the time. It's half ten already – I have fifteen minutes until my induction thing. "Matt?" He calls me over and I shuffle down the aisle, careful to not drop anything. "What sweets do you want?" The soup tins are weighing down my arms, making them ache. I can't think what I want, so I just shrug. Mello had gone for the cheap soups that were on offer, so we got 6 for a pound. But sweets?

"Uhm… wine gums, yeah?" I try.

"And what else?" He says, snagging the bag from it's place.

"I get the option?" I say incredulously, scanning over the packets. "Those minty ones" I nod in their general direction and Mello's hand pauses on them uncertainly. "Yeah" I confirm. He pulls them off and holds them between his thumb and finger.

"Gimmee a few tins, I can manage those too" He takes a few tins off the pile and cradles them. "Don't go snapping that chocolate" He warns, again, bumping his hip into mine.

"I won't" I whisper as he walks away. "Hey Mel!" I call, quickly walking after him. "What's the total now?" His eyes scan over everything quickly.

"Around nine twenty, why?"

"Well, I was just wondering if…y'know…" I nodded over to the 'Reduced prices!' sign, where a whole stand of coke bottles resided.

"I'll get em' for you" He walks over and picks up two, then another one after thought, before walking back to me. "Should be just over eleven quid now" I nod warily.

"Is that ok?"

"Yeah…we'll do" I nod again. "Anything else we needed?"

"Uhm…water. You said water" Mello's face brightens up as he smiles, turning and heading back to another aisle. I stay put because I know Mello's going the wrong way. He comes back, looking confused. "Come on" I smile and take him to the right aisle, where he goes and gets the cheapest pack.

"They'll do, right?"

"Yeah" He scoops them up, juggles a few items and sighs. "Should've got a basket, eh?" I laugh, feeling the chocolate bar slipping from my grasp. _No! Please don't fall! _I nudge it up carefully and cradle it like a child. Mello comes over and knocks it into place, quickly kissing my lips.

"I love coming shopping with you" He whispers, before grinning and heading elsewhere.

"Y-yeah…Mel, are we done?"

"Sure, let's head to the checkout"

**_L's Point of View_**

25% sugar? No that won't do.

50% sugar? My god, do people not know the contents of sugar canes?

75% sugar? Hm.

90% sugar? Ten percent could make a lot of difference.

Cadburys Caramel?

I double take, glancing from the last sugar cane of only 90% sugar before it changed to the boxes of Cadbury's chocolate. The sugar cane of only 90% sugar would have to do. I pick it p carefully, the amount of kids that could've touched and contaminated the products wrapper making me slightly anxious. Nonetheless, I turn on my heel with the aim of finding Watari, but instead, I'm faced with a snotty nosed child, clinging to it's mother's hand. I often wonder how on Earth Watari manages to be so nice to every single one that he sees. Children are nothing more than selfish brats who are too opinionated for their own good. At least half of them are never happy with life. And I have to teach them compulsory education during the day, when they're at their prime of selfishness and attention-seeking. I feel a breeze slide past my feet, making them a little itchy. I scratch my left foot with the heel of my right, not concerning myself in the least of the absence of my shoes. Watari made me wear socks, at the very least. Now, where had he gone? He was—

"Oh!" Something collides with my shoulder as I turn at the top of the aisle. Curiously, I look towards the impact-zone and find an embarrassed-looking red head and a confident looking blonde not so far behind him. "Im sorry!" The red head exclaims, eyes wide and …well, apologetic. "I should've been looking where I was going – are you ok?" He leans forwards, as if examining me, and I step back twice. I nod in reply to his question and hope he'll leave me alone. This child looks nothing more than thirteen, and the blonde behind him isn't a ray of sunshine – he looks quite…_wary. _Now that's an interesting face on someone so young. Isn't it a little past their bedtime? Half the kids at the school I teach in would be in bed by now. He hasn't gone away.

"Hm, yes, I'm fine" The kid looks momentarily relieved. "Do you know where the fruit aisle is?" I find myself asking. I have a feeling Watari might've gone over there for the salad that he'd be planning for tomorrow's dinner. The blonde steps forwards, pulling his red headed companion back and closer to him.

"Why don't you ask someone who works here, how would we know?" His eyes hold an intriguing glimmer of confidence, of hate and of hurt.

"I wonder, were you ever taught manners at school?" Perhaps the young blonde thing is a delinquent, his attitude certainly boosts up my theory. "Perhaps you don't even attend school" The blonde says nothing, and our staring battle begins. It doesn't last long – he falters and looks elsewhere.

"Uhm…" The red head steps towards his friend protectively, reattaching their hands and looking at me with such a…a _convincing _face, I wonder if he managed to manipulate his parents into staying out so late. I wouldn't be surprised. I am surprised, however, at the way the blonde fitted himself with his red headed companion, it was like a human ying-yang situation. _Fascinating. _"I think the fruit aisle is over at the top – aisle four" The red head says, looking behind him for confirmation of some sort. I nod in thanks and move past the two intriguing kids, walking ahead, hands in pockets, aiming for the fruit aisle that I know is on aisle four, because I've lived here for the majority of my life. I'm correct in that Watari is in the fruit aisle, choosing some lettuce carefully.

"Any preferences?" He asks, holding up one and an equally similar looking one in the other hand.

"I'd prefer not to know what rubbish goes into the food you feed me" I sigh. "The one in your right hand" He smiles, glad that I made a decision, based entirely out of chance and random-pot luck. "I met a couple of strange kids today…one in particular was quite…intriguing" Watari chuckled, putting the lettuce in the basket he was carrying and continuing down the aisle, myself shuffling along at his side. _I don't see what's funny. _

"That's odd" He chuckles. "Light said the same thing earlier on today"

There's a minimal percentage of a chance that the two of us are on about the same two kids. So I ignore the meeting for now and decide on giving Watari a list of all the pro's and all the con's of buying strawberry's in the hope he'd buy some more – despite the five packs already in the fridge. He plays a fair game, and puts up a good fight.

But I win.

AN: Holy Cow, is L's POV hard to write in

Any criticism on this will be welcomed – I might be using L's POV again, so any tips or anything will be gratefully accepted :)

Reviews are good too! Thankies! x


	5. Chapter 5

Runaways: Chapter 5

**Arguments. **

**_MELLO's Point of View_**

What does he think he's doing? That's two weirdo's in one day, _two! _And he's acting all OK with it! As soon as the slouching pile of bones moves away, I grab Matt's arm and haul him elsewhere, away from those coal black eyes that I _swear _could see every lie being told. It might not have been that bad, had he too not enquired about school – but he did. He mentioned school and so did the other guy, the freakin' paedophile! Fucking shit wank. I'm regretting the decision to stay here, we should've got a train somewhere else or something – anywhere but here.

"Mello" Seriously, Matt lands a night job and I work days – that's a hazard in itself. I should've known first off from that moment that things wouldn't get any easier. _God, _this is frustrating! "Mel…" Why couldn't he have just kept his pretty mouth shut! It isn't hard! Lips, together, sorted! But no, Matt has to be all nice and polite, even when we're never going to see the fucking weirdo's again! "Mel, you're hurting!" The small escape of a whimper catches my ears and I automatically release my grip on Matt's arm. He can't even rub it because he's still holding most of our shopping.

"Why the hell were you so friendly, Matt?" I scowl.

"He just wanted to know where the fruit aisle was – I knew it was back there, I saw it" Matt flinches as I step closer, the items moving as he does so, so I step back. I don't want him to be walking on eggshells around me, he can't do it to save his life – he becomes a jumpy, stumbling, mumbling mess of a flesh bag. He sighs. "You were the one that said politeness gets us places"

"Oh shut up" I frown. We stand in silence for a few minutes until I recall that Matt has a job to do. Its sudden remembrance in my brain causes me to tell him, sharply and suddenly. "Don't you have a job to do?" He says nothing, then passes all his items to me in a big heap, then holding out something on his finger. The key to the motel. "Well how the fuck are you gonna' get in?" I ask, hooking it onto my finger. Again, he says nothing and walks away. No goodbye hug, no goodbye kiss, no goodbye _anything. _"Fine, be an ass" I mumble, juggling the items precariously in my arms before making it to the check-out, dumping them on the conveyor belt and biting my lip in annoyance.

That guy was weird. He was taller, older than us, but was just as skinny and pale. His hair was nothing more than a shaggy black mop, looking all windswept to one side. His eyes were nothing more than haunting.

"Hello there, would you like help with your packing?"

"If you're offering" I pull out my wallet and take out the twenty pound note that's remaining. That's all we have, beside the few coins that would barely be enough for a packet of crisps. I wait for her to scan everything and then pack it up, before she announces that it's;

"Eleven pounds fifty, please" I pass her the note like I'm signing my life away, gladly accepting the change and putting it back in the wallet. "Enjoy your night" I take the two bag's she's packed and haul them off the other end where they stand. She did good job in that they are both balanced in weight, but it doesn't take my mind of it's raging warpath.

I walk out of the store and head on 'home' cautiously. It's like those two weirdo's have set me on my guard, and it's not something I'm likely to drop any time soon. This whole day has been weird and frustrating. From Matt suggesting making the ID's that make us eighteen, the whole argument about the lap-dancing club and Matt's seriousness about it, finding a job and then that weird guy bumping into Matt (or vice versa, I really couldn't care less). He put me on edge with all his weirdness. If that wasn't enough, Matt had _left me alone, _whilst I was _sleeping_, to get a fucking _night-job _as an eighteen year old! He's only fourteen! _And fucking good at manipulating people. _

Not just that, but then with the bank account, the fake name – Martin Whats-it-who-ever – and _then _the fact that I couldn't buy him a game – topped with another dose of another fucking guy that seems a little too interested in our lives. Why the hell didn't Matt just keep his gob shut? How the hell did he even know where the fruit aisle was anyway, we hadn't even got any fruit! Sure, we might've walked past it, but – _walked past it. _

I slow my pace as I realize my mistake. If we walked past it, chances are that Matt would've remembered it – being antisocial like he is, he gets uncomfortable with outdoor situations and tends to be very alert because of this, so he notices things more. His photographic memory doesn't help – he gets frustrated when he remembers unnecessary things, like a fucking fruit aisle. No wonder he told that guy where it was, it was like an impulse with him. He can't deny someone something if he has it. He knew where the fruit aisle was, so he had to tell that dude. Oh God, now I feel guilty. And it's making my stomach twist uncomfortably.

OOO

By the time I reach the motel, it's quarter past eleven. Matt should've started his induction now, so there's no point in texting him – not unless it was an emergency. I fish the key out of my pocket and go in, glancing around everything cautiously to make sure nothing was disturbed or unusual. It wasn't. I put the transportable things like the chocolate and the sweets in my bagpack, a bottle of coke and water to accompany them. The soup tins and other bottles left over were put away in the cupboards and the mini fridge. Exhausted, I end up stripping down to my boxers and crawling into bed, the guilt still twisting my stomach. _Fuck it, I'm gonna' text him. _I take my phone from my hoodie pocket and find the only number in there – Matts – and quickly text him.

_I was awful, I'm sorry. I forgot about your PG.M, how stupid am i? Hope your enjoying yourself – x_

I add another kiss on the end for extra emphasis and press send. I grip it for a whole fifteen minutes before I'm about to fall asleep, the loud message tone sending shockwaves through my body. I open the message up and glare at the bright screen, trying to decipher the words.

_Yes, you were awful. Like a moody cow! Work is good so far, get some kip xx_

I smile. I'm sure he doesn't mean it in a bad way, calling me a moody cow. If he wanted to be harsh he could do it in so many other ways. I quickly text him back.

_Okay, wake me when you get in. Ly x _

I hesitate before pressing send, but I send it. Getting a very quick reply.

_(: love you too. Gd'night! x_

I leave it after that, setting the phone on the bedside table and curling up in the soft bedsheets. Rent was due tomorrow, and I was only going to start work in two days. Matt will have to pay the rent.

As for that creepy Paedophile, did he expect us to go to school? We'd told him that we were going to enroll, but did it really make that much difference? I wouldn't mind going to school, it was fairly easy for me – especially the public ones – but Matt? God, he'd hate it. I fall asleep, wondering what on earth to do, hoping that Matt would wake me when he got in.


	6. Chapter 6

Runaways: Chapter 6  
**Lies, lies and more lies. **

**_NOBODY's Point of View_**

**(3****rd**** person)**

Mello – Matt thought – was best described as a dormant time-bomb. If it's undisturbed, unchallenged and happily left to its own devices, it was harmless – _he _was harmless. But nudged? Slightly moved or agitated, knocked minimally and suddenly disturbed, challenged and unhappy – it would begin a countdown of numbers – or in Mello's case, actions – until _BOOM. _A perfectly unpredictable catastrophe of inexcusable actions, often leaving in its wake severe disappointment, more anger and a bitter understanding that it will no doubt happen again. And again. And again.

Matt treasured the moments when Mello slept soundly, undisturbed and completely blind to any challenges that he could face – like getting rid of the spider in the bathroom, or trying to tune the TV to get the basic channels, cause he hated those things. Mello was the cautionary one, the one to always over think thing, which left him – most times – sleeping practically with one eye open, always half way between sleep and a conscious state. Although Matt often watched Mello sleep, keeping an eye on the blonde whilst he occupied his unsleepy self, there was something radiant about walking into the motel after work (the funny feeling kicking in his chest like it does when you stay awake too long) and seeing the very definition in your very own world, of 'sex', lying on the bed with the sheets kicked off, in nothing but a pair of boxers and his bangs pinned up off his face. Matt grinned to himself, closing and locking the door behind him, waiting for the blonde to stir. He didn't. Matt assumed that Mello was fairly deep in his sleep, and as peaceful and radiant as he looked, Matt couldn't wake him up.

The room was stuffy; Mello was too cautious to open a window when he was likely to fall asleep – anyone could get in. As Mello had occupied the whole bed, spread out to reach every inch of air his body could feel, Matt took himself comfortably to the floor next to the side of the bed with the paper to read, Mello's right hand draped over the edge and near his face.

He resisted the urge to lick it.

Twitch.

Flick.

"Mmmnhhh"

Shift.

Sigh.

"Wh't?" Yawn. "Mmmm…"

"Mornin' Sunshine" Matt smiled, looking up at Mello as he peeked curiously over the edge of the bed. He shifted, the sheets entangling with his legs as he did so. Mello flicked his right wrist, his hand atop Matt's head as he ruffled the hair.

"What time is't?"

"Nearly half seven in'th'mornin'" Matt smiled.

"You were supposed to wake me, jackass" Mello yawned, flopping his hand off Matt's head as he brought it to his mouth to cover the yawn. "What was it this time? Too irresistible?" He pulled a coy face and crossed his arms, propping his chin on them as he rolled onto his stomach. "Eh?"

"Something like that" Matt leaned up and kissed the blonde, strands of the blonde hair tickling his cheek. "Sorry" Mello shrugged an arm at this.

"How was work?"

Matt suddenly beamed, rocking forwards from his crossed-legged position and rolling himself up so he was stood up on his knees.

"It was great." He grinned. "They were impressed cause the meter thing in the fridge went down – I fixed it – so they gave me a pay rise" Mello rolled his eyes. "You should be happy" Matt whined. "I found a cashpoint – so I took out a tenner and paid today's rent" Matt looked around the room. "I don't wanna' risk using the card just yet – at least, not at places" Mello nodded. "When do you start work?"

"Today – two o'clock" Mello yawned. "Oh, yeah, last night – I was thinking…"

"That doesn't sound good" Matt mumbled, rocking himself back so he was sat on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest.

"…both those guys asked about school…" Mello's heart pulled at the way Matt's face began to drop. "…that paedophile one seemed sure that we'd enrol, he practically expected us to…" Mello was almost panic stricken when Matt flopped his face onto his knee's harshly. He reached out a hand and placed it on the red heads shoulder. "Matt, if he doesn't see us, he might phone some authority or something - get them looking for us"

"SO!" Matt's head snapped up. "Mel, I know what you're thinking – don't make me do this, please?"

"We can't have them finding us Matt – if we have to blend in-"

"No!"

"-by enrolling in the school, then we'll _have to!" _

"Mello, _please?_"

"Matt, we have no other choice. I really think that if we don't go, he'll get someone on our backs" Mello rubbed circles on Matt's shoulder, but a simple and harsh jerk from the red head told him very clearly that Matt disagreed with the idea.

"So we'll move" Matt countered.

"We just got jobs. We might be able to make it work here – at least for a while" Matt remained silent. "You said yourself, you liked your new job, right?"

"Cant you just enrol? I'll work double-hard Mel, I promise. You can learn and I can work" Mello shook his head softly. "We can't work _and_ go to school. You told work you were a drop-out. They'll make you work during school hours, then what?" Matt tried.

"We'll do it like we normally do Matt, it isn't any different. It's Monday today – we might as well enrol today and get it over and done with" Matt sighed, looking up at the blonde with the most vibrantly opposing eyes Mello had ever seen. "Please, Matt…"

"So, you remember what to say?" Mello asked, clutching the red heads hand with his own.

"Yes Mello"

"We've done it before, it's nothing new" He said, stroking Matts hand caringly with his thumb. He was sure things would be ok once they started.

"Yes Mello"

"They might want to talk to us separately, so keep your cool" Mello sighed. "Yeah, We'll be fine" He said brightly, giving Matt's hand another squeeze for reassurance.

"F'kyou"

"Matt" Mello glared, spinning and facing the red head as he caught the others arm. "_please" _

"I should do this more often – you've said 'please' more times today than you have in your _life!_" Mello scowled, walking ahead. He got up to the main double doors of the entrance before Matt jogged to catch up with him, discreetly linking their two fingers together at their sides as they both walked up to the desk. The blonde woman behind it had exceptionally curly hair, with thin framed glasses and pearl earrings in her ears. Mello caught her attention easily.

"Hi, we're new – just moved. We'd like to enrol here?" She smiled kindly and nodded.

"Different year groups, I take it?" She asked, quickly jotting something down. Well, it was a fair assumption, although Matt was taller than Mello, Mello did have more defined features as he was older. But-

"No, the same" Mello said certainly, nodding. She looked sceptical. "Twins?" Mello raised his eyebrows and placed his hand on his hip, trying to play along. She didn't look convinced. "What, do we have to look alike? We aren't identical!" Matt sighed. What on earth was Mello doing? She jotted something else down and asked them to wait a few minutes, leaving Mello smiling and Matt nervously swaying from one foot to the other. "How'dya'like my acting skills Matty, they good?"

"You're bossy Mel, you're intimidating and you're assertive. You don't need to act" Matt all but mumbled, depressed. "Please don't make me do this" He whispered, reaching for Mello's hand once again.

"It's the only way Matty" Mello stroked Matt's hand with his thumb. "It'll keep them off our backs – at least this way we're in the same year group. We think the same, we should have the same classes – I'll insist, or something. You can do it"

"Hey Mel?" Matt asked quietly, lowering his head as he stepped closer to the blonde. The entrance area was deserted. "Does this mean we can't hold hands anymore?" He whispered.

"I d'no Matty" Mello whispered, quickly brushing a strand of hair from the red heads mouth. It needed cutting. The curly haired receptionist came back with two teachers in tow – the one Mello had dubbed 'the paedophile' and the other 'sack of bones' one – from the supermarket. The Paedophile spoke first.

"It's nice to see you both again" _I bet it is you pile of fucking—_"I am Mr. Yagami – I teach science here. This is L – just the letter – and you'll address him as such. He teaches the advanced courses along with standard psychology" Mello nodded to show confirmation.

"Im Marco" He told them, indicating, next, to Matt. "This is my twin, Martin" L nodded, looking between the two of them for a few seconds before declaring that -

"We'd like to talk to you both individually" _As I predicted _Mello thought. "Marco, if you'll come with me. Martin, you may go with Mr Yagami in the opposite room" Mello's spine tingled and his stomach twisted with disapproval. "Marco, this way" He had time to turn to Matt and squeeze his hand before being encouraged to 'keep up' whilst being led into the opposite room to Matts. The door was shut with a resounding _'click'_.

"You need to fill this out" L waved a piece of paper at him from his place opposite Mello on his desk. "However to save time, I will ask the questions, and you will answer to the best of your ability. Understood?"

"Yessir" Mello nodded for emphasis.

"Full name and date of birth"

"Marco Jeel, thirteenth of December, ninety two" L raised an eyebrow.

"_Martin Jeel – firs—firteethf of December, ninety two" Matt answered, his eyes glaring at the desk in front of him. Almost slipped there._

"_Your mothers name?"Mr Yagami asked. _

"_Marie Jeel" Matt sighed, his foot impatiently tapping on the floor. _

"Address?" L asked, the third question, raising his eyes to look up at the blonde, who spoke it fluently. "You are aware that's a motel address?" Mello nodded.

"_Our house is being done up at the moment" Matt answered, looking at the pristine snob of a teacher, as if daring him to question why they were living in a motel. "There's builders everywhere, it was easier to move out for the rest of it's up-do" He shrugged, carefree._

"Ok, your mothers going to need to sign this document at some point" L continued.

"She works a lot – she won't have time to come here and sign it. We can take it home and she'll sign it there" Mello smiled.

"_I don't know – we don't usually allow that in our procedure" Mr Yagami continued, frowning. _

"_Well she's working to pay for the house to be done up – she's working to keep us alive and she's working to give us a good life – she doesn't have the time NOT to work. She'll sign it at home" Matt frowned, crossing his arms over his chest rebelliously. _

"Ok, then, Im sure that something can be arranged" L nodded and glanced back at the sheet.

"We can take care of ourselves, but our mum works her butt off to make sure we do the best we can. The least we can do is let her work her ass off so she feels like she wont be letting us down" Mello feigned being offended, so L nodded in agreement.

"You can take this home when we've finished and return it tomorrow. I assume the case is the same for your, er, twin?"

"Entirely" Mello grinned coyly.

After a few more questions and another test to determine their classes, the pair were released back into the entrance area, glad to be in each others presence once again. Mr Yagami and L conversed privately for a few minutes before returning to the two, handing them their papers and ordering them to bring them back, signed, tomorrow.

"I assume as you're new here and your mother would probably want you out of her hair – so to speak…" Mr Yagami continued. "That you'll both be eager to start school as soon as possible" Mello nodded enthusiastically, Matt tried to match it, but couldn't. "Then once you bring the papers in tomorrow, you'll officially be a student. I'll have your timetables done as soon as possible – as you might've been able to tell, there is no uniform, so you needn't worry about that. School supplies are a must, I assume you're prepared?"

"Totally" Mello nodded. "Thank you _so _much, we'll be on time, right at nine o'clock tomorrow. See you then!"

**_Light's Point of View_**

Myself and L watch the duo leave, the blonde obviously more enthusiastic than his red headed 'twin'. Fake or not, they put on a good show.

"Do you believe any of it?" I ask L, turning to him and awaiting his response.

"Something is a little off…minutely, but off, nonetheless" I nod in agreement. "Their story was quite believable, however" I nod again.

"They were both consistent with everything said" L nods, his thumb thoughtfully placed in his mouth.

"At this stage, there isn't much we can do. Their story has no reason not to be believed. Assuming they can provide a guardians signature on their papers, we have no reason to doubt them"

"I guess so" I shrug, unconvinced. "But still…no harm in keeping an eye on them"


	7. Chapter 7

Runaways: Chapter 7

**Matt's Disagreement.**

**_MATT's Point of View_**

I don't think I've ever been this furious since the time that I got dragged away from Mello's house. Sure, we've been on the run for two years now and we've enrolled in many schools – only to leave a few months later and move on – so this shouldn't be any different. But it feels wrong. It's like – it's almost as if this is the last straw for me.

I hate school, I detest it so badly. Mello's ok with it though, but if he had the option to go to school or not – I really don't know where he'd stand. He would probably _actually debate _the pros and cons of going to school, and no doubt end up victorious. Mello excels at all things school. Academics are his forte and physicals are just as much a strong point. He's willing to do everything he can to get the high grades, even if it means staying after school – that's what he'd said. Why on Earth would anyone want to stay after school?! Mello's brainy enough as he is, he can get A's on everything he does without even trying – he's exceptional! And unlike me, he enjoys this fact. He takes the teachers praise humbly and continues to do his best until we move on. He would make many friends if he tried, but we tend to stick together us two.

There's no point in making friends, it's just more people that'll know about us to report to people. Mello tries to tell me that I'm smart too, he says it often to remind me that I could enjoy learning if I wanted to. But it's like habit now, to hate school I mean. I've been doing it for the majority of my life, even before I met Mello.

I hate being constricted in those rooms, being _told _what I already know and being thrust into stereotypes and stupid 'cliques' that I don't even want to be a part of. I found out very quickly that my very first school wasn't going to nurture my apparent intelligence, not like Mello's had done with his, so I found, just as quickly, something else to occupy my time with, because school was just a waste of it.

Since then, attending school as a 'cover' for our plans was something that I have always been opposed to, but Mel thinks it's necessary so we go. We _are _going.

That stupid enrollment thing with those two fucking teachers made sure of that.

_Mello _made sure of that.

I turn to glare at him again, for the thirteenth time on our walk back to the motel.

"Don't be like that Matt, it's not gonna' be that hard" Mello tries, reaching for my hand. But I won't let him. "Matt…"

"We don't even have any equipment" I say after a while. "It's just more things to spend money on – money which we need"

"I know, but in the long run it'll be beneficial"

"It's just another pain in the ass" I fold my arms over my chest and huff. Mello unlocks the motel door as we approach it and lets me in first. "Long-run my ass, we'll only be here for a couple o' months, tops" I flop on the bed grab a pillow, hugging it to my chest as Mello locks the door behind us and sets the keys in his pocket.

"Why the hell did you have to say we were twins? Could've gotten away with something else, then you coulda' gone to school n' I coulda' worked n' it'd all be fine" Seconds later he's stood in front of me, crouched down so that his knees are by my legs – hanging over the end of the bed, and his head is just below mine.

He takes my jaw lightly in both his hands and lets his thumbs trace my lips from the middle outwards, leaning forwards to kiss me – his thumbs moving away as he does so. I don't respond (and it takes all my willpower) and he pulls away with a rejected sigh, moving over to the small kitchen area with the stove.

"Matt, are you hungry?" He asks, searching for something in the cupboards. "We can actually have lunch – we have soup…so…ah" I glance over as he pulls out a pan from the cupboard, and then goes to pick the two cans of soup off the shelf. I assume they're the same, because he puts them both in the one pan and starts up the hob. "Chicken and Veg should do..." He says absentmindedly, turning back to me. I turn my head away. He turns back to the hob and starts stirring. "I know you were staring at my ass, really" _Shuttup. _

I turn away from him completely, distracting myself with the curtains and the wall. I find it easy for my thoughts to wander elsewhere, even just thinking about nothing. I'll be doing this most of the time in school, better think of a game or something I can play. Spot the damp patch, ok – one in the top corner there. One near the edge of the window – must need sealing or something—

"Matt" I hear the soup bowls being placed on the crappy and probably un-sturdy table in the small kitchen area. "Lunch's ready" I hear the clatter of two spoons being laid down, and inhale the smell of the tinned soups that Mello's cooked. Im not even hungry any more, I think I'm too mad to be hungry – actually, I probably wasn't even hungry in the first place.

"Matt…please" Mello shuffles over to me, bending himself to my height with his hands either side of my thighs.

"Im not hungry" I shimmy myself away from him and lie on the bed, the pillow still clutched to my chest and me knees brought up as far as they can be.

"You need to eat something – it's been days"

"No thanks" I feel the bed shift as Mello, silently, moves over to the kitchen area again and starts to eat his soup. I glance at the clock on the alarm sitting on the bedside table, it's quarter past one already. I close my eyes and listen to Mello eat his soup, the soft and rhythmic _'clink' _becoming a game for me – to count how many spoonfuls it takes for Mello to eat his soup.

I get to three hundred and twenty nine before his chair scrapes back and the dish is abandoned in the sink with a clunk. He washes his hands as usual and I turn over to my other side, so I can see him, as he walks into the bathroom and quickly brushes his teeth. I blink as he comes closer to me, expecting a speech, a rant or something, but instead, he places a hand on my shoulder and leans down, kissing my head, right on the temple.

"I have to go to work, for two o'clock" I give him a nod to show I'd heard. "I won't be back till six, and the shops will be closed by then. Do you reckon you'll have enough to go and buy school equipment?" I sigh and close my eyes, ignoring him. "Matt, don't ignore me – _hey_" Mello sighs and clamps his hand over my mouth with one hand. It takes me a moment to register what he's about to do, but when I do, my eyes snap open just in time to catch his other hand moving dangerously close to my face, his fingers ready to pinch my nose. I swat it away and he moves his hands away, setting them in his lap as he perches on the end of the bed.

"I don't want to risk losing us" He says softly. "Losing _you_"

"You sound like a sappy romantic" I breathe, his thumbs moving over each other as I spoke. "You should do it more often…"

"I don't care. It's true" He smiles a little. "I know you hate school Matt, and I'm not doing this to annoy you. We need to blend in and stay out of trouble – which means we need to behave and not draw any attention to ourselves. We'll be doing just that if we don't have any equipment, so I need you to go and get it" I say nothing. "Matt, if we're caught, I'll lose you. I don't, want, to lose you"

"I don't wanna' lose you either Mel" I whisper, reaching a hand forwards and taking his own in mine.

"Then don't make it hard, ok?" I bite my lip. "Matt"

"I can't help it" Mello sighs and flicks my hand away, agitated. "I'd rather be working Mel, I'd rather work all the time than go to school"

"Yeah, but a better education means more money later in life"

"Later wont do, Mel" I snap, sitting up on my elbows with a frown. The pillow flops from my chest down to my legs. "We need it now. Waiting is a waste of time. _School _is a waste of time"

"I don't care" Mello stands up in finality. "Good education leads to better job prospects in the future, and if we're to support ourselves that's exactly what we need to get, not waste our time"

"Yeah?" I challenge.

"Yeah" Mello nods.

"Well if you _really _think that, you should've thought twice about wasting your two years with me then, eh?"

Mello's eyes shone brilliantly with emotion as he clamps his gaping mouth shut, furious at what I'd said. His eyes are wide and emotional, his hands dead at his side. I raise an eyebrow, as if daring him to lash out. He sucks in a breath and storms out with the next, the door slamming behind him. As soon as he's gone, I flop back onto my back and put my hands behind my head. I don't like fighting with Mello, but sometimes it's the only way to get my point across – he's still a fifteen year old when it comes to disagreements.

My body relaxes from the tensed state that I hadn't realized I'd become; I let out a sigh and rub my eyes with my arm. From work, I had just over thirty pounds earned from my first day – ten pounds of that had gone on rent, so I only had twenty to spend on equipment. I bit my lip. Was I really considering this? I didn't go shopping, Mello went shopping.

Going outdoors is annoying, it considers exercise and talking to people and smiling at people, people seeing you and expecting you to do these things – it's total vulnerability. It's shit. I scowl at the ceiling. Mello would be even more furious if I didn't go. Maybe I could get away with just buying him things. No, then he'd be mad at me for '_drawing attention to ourselves'. _I turn my head and face the bedside table again, our pieces of paper – enrollment papers, ooh, la-di-da, still need to be signed by our guardian, _Marie Jeel. _Eugh. I practice a signature on a scrap piece of paper and decide on an easyish one that Mello could pick up too, signing both of them before making sure I had everything for my shopping trip. Once satisfied, I head outside, only Mello has taken the keys with him and I can't lock the door from the outside. I take the lock pick out of out bag and head outside with it, locking the door (and checking it was locked) before putting the kit in my pocket and heading out to the shops.

I manage to find two bag packs for a fiver on the market, and there is a sale on in the stationary store near by. I buy a pack of pencils, a pack of blue and black pens, one eraser and ruler for Mel and two pads of paper. It totals to an ok amount, and I'm satisfied. I realize that I've forgotten the pencil case though, to put all our stationary in, so I head back in and pay a full price for two basic clear pencil cases, because the stupid fucks aren't in the damn sale.

Mel had better be happy with this shit. I check my phone in case he's rung or left me a text, but he hasn't. I pretend that I'm not disappointed. I manage to make it back to the motel alive, having kept my head down and walked vigorously fast to anywhere, avoiding at all costs any social interaction. When I get back at quarter to four, Mello still isn't back – he only finishes at six, I empty the shopping out on the bed and separate them into two piles. Once I've split everything accordingly, I put it all into our bags – mine black and red and Mello's black and blue, along with our 'enrollment papers'. I put them to the side and went to glare at my soup, still sitting disgustingly on the table. I daren't heat it up and eat it, so I shove it in the bin and find something else to do. It will probably include getting those TV channels to work.


	8. Chapter 8

Runaways: Chapter 8

**Work Day.**

**_MELLO's Point of View_**

When I get to work, I'm far too pissed off with Matt's negligence to think of anything other than work. They welcome me back and hand me a uniform for me to now keep, wishing me luck because it's busy tonight. I nod and tie the apron around my waist, beginning by serving the dishes first because they're low on that front, before waiting until it calms down a little before beginning to take in the orders. Then I serve those people. It gets a little hectic but the fast pace works with its own rhythm and I end up finding it quite relaxing.

I change jobs again, this time serving the drinks from the bar, taking them to the customers, before the bar tender has to go on his break – but the other waitress serving the drinks has gone home sick, so I serve up the drinks behind the bar, managing to set them off as well as hail any other waiter or waitress that comes along to take the drinks to the right people as they pass them. The system worked very well, and for a first days work I think it worked brilliantly. I even earned twenty pounds in tips – which a friendly waitress named Laura told me that we could keep – so I pocketed the money and kept it safe. The shift goes by really fast, and before I know it, I'm working overtime. Although I get paid overtime, I really should be getting back to Matt, so I finish the rest of the hour and go to get changed, the Boss coming back to find me just as I'm leaving.

"You did really well today, probably one of our most efficient workers yet!" She was fairly young, maybe early thirties, her brown hair pulled up into a bun. "Here's your wages" She passes me the wad of cash. "That's twenty five there, you can keep tips if you got those" I nod at this.

"Thanks – Laura told me" I add sheepishly. Boss nods with a small chuckle.

"Oh, yeah, here" She passes me another wad of cash. "As a reward for your efficiency" I raise my eyebrows in question. "It was a tough night tonight and anyone could've panicked. You did really well" She patted my shoulder. "See you tomorrow" I count it all up, she's given me an extra twenty five as a bonus – so I got fifty pounds overall plus the twenty pounds in tips! Not bad for a first days work, I reckon. I head back to the motel with a smile on my face, even stopping in at a Chinese to get a takeaway. Hopefully Matt would see this as an apology and actually eat something. I do worry about him sometimes – that maybe he's gotten too used to not eating to see food as a necessity any more. Nonetheless, I buy the Chinese with my tips and hope to God that Matt went shopping for our things.

When I get back to the motel, I unlock the door silently and close it just as soundlessly behind me. It's half seven already. The TV is still on too, which surprises me even more because it's _actually working. _I assume Matt has done it, but he's curled up on the bed, asleep. Must've exhausted himself. But he still has to eat. I shake him awake as gently as I can.

"Mel…" He grumbles, yawning cutely and snuggling closer to me. I wonder if he's forgotten about our argument.

"Work went really well so I bought us some tea…it's Chinese" Matt looks up with squinty eyes, as if it's too bright for him to look at. "Want some?"

"Not now" He sighs, rolling over. "M'be la'er" He yawns again and presumably goes back to sleep. Annoyance bubbles up side me again. I turn the TV off and take out one of the two takeaway boxes, putting one on the table for me and the other one in the fridge for Matt. I think that I can admit that I'm worried about him now. It's been too long. He needs to eat something – and he will, tomorrow. An apple or something, I dunno. I eat the Chinese alone, using the chopsticks to eat it with. When I'm done, I put the box in the bin and take out a tenner from my wad of wages. I'll pay tomorrows rent.

I put the rest of it in my wallet and put the wallet in the navy bag pack. I change out of my work clothes and shove them in the wash, to which I end up stripping completely and putting my clothes in too. They're all dark, so it doesn't matter too much. I grab a large T shirt and some shorts for night wear and check that Matt's still sleeping, but he's not, he's staring at me.

"Nothing you haven't seen" I mumble, turning and heading for the bathroom.

"Where'y'goin?" He mumbles, sitting up.

"Shower" I head into the bathroom, the door swinging over –but not shutting- behind me. I put my clothes on the radiator and move over to the shower – but I don't step in it - feeling a pair of hands trailing up my back and over my shoulders, around my collarbones and eventually resting on my chest; Matt will be on tiptoes by this point. My fingers linger on the power button before I press it 'on' and the shower bursts to life.

"Me too" He mumbles.

"Turn you on?" I grin and Matts head flops on my shoulder in embarrassment. I turn around and he leans back on his feet, a few inches shorter than me now.

"Shower too" He clarifies, smiling his perfectly gorgeous smile. His shirt is off, his body milk-pale and rib-visibly-skinny, his jeans are undone and low on his hips, his socks are gone too. I move my hands to the rim of his jeans and push them down, all the while Matt begins to sway his hips against mine, the jeans slowly falling down his legs. He steps out of them as they pool at his ankles, moving me closer to the shower, its heat already steaming up the small bathroom. Maybe he has forgotten our argument about the whole school issue. Still, I'll apologise. I can't take back our decision to go to school now.

"Im sorry" I breathe, playing with the elastic of his undies. "But I can't undo this now"

"The pants?" Matt asks, innocently. I give him the scary look – he knows full well what I'm talking about. "Oh, school…right"

"Did you get the equipment?"

"Packed and ready to go" He sighs dejectedly. "Can we please shower now?" He removes his arms from over my shoulders - _Flirty slash romantic mood equals ruined – _and then tugs his undies down himself. I quickly press my lips to his as he tosses his undies elsewhere, our bodies wrapping together comfortably. He moans in my grasp, and moves away slightly, moving his head so I can't kiss him. "Im still mad at you"

"And I, you" I grab his butt. "You made me subconsciously think that I could ever regret leaving anything and everything to be with you" He looks up, curiously, and I steal another kiss. "I could never regret this"

"I wish we were older" He mumbles.

"Why?" He pushes me lightly so I'm backed into the shower. The heat of the water makes me shiver a little as it rains over my head. He steps in and put either hand aside of my neck – cause he reaches comfortably there. "Doesn't it feel badass cause we're underage?" I raise my eyebrows and he grins, his head dipping into my neck as he begins to kiss, suck and touch and do all the other kinds of –

"Yeah, but I still feel like a love-sick sappy kid" Matt pulls back, the water dampening his hair and flowing down his face. He looks the very definition of a wet dog. Still, his eyes shine with brilliance. "I wanna' feel like, like a …"

"Like a butt-fuck obsessed man with raging hormones, living only to pleasure moi?"

"Yeah" Matt grins. "Like that. Exactly like that" I laugh and pull him closer, his arms bending at the elbows as he lowers his hands to my arms. "You know what I mean though…it's all kind of innocent and…unreal…like this" I look up, slightly surprised. I move my body against his for emphasis and kiss his nose too. Cause it's cute.

"Feels real to me"

"I don't mean that" He whispers, his breath tickling my face. "I just think, as adults, it's more like, like we can do what we want and it's…I dunno…it'll feel more mature and stuff" I grin at this. I can kinda' see where he's coming from, but really? We're still young, and I'd kinda like to experiment with my childhood rather than rush to being all serious and _adult. _Half the things we get away with are because we're kids, as soon as we hit eighteen, or even sixteen, we'll be drowning in consequences.

"I love you, Jeevas" He grins again, cheering up and starting his swaying again – which is strangely turning me on.

"Love ya' too Keehl-io" I shake my head at the crappy nick name, pulling him in for another kiss along with other more, entertaining things.

Not sex though, we're not quite there yet.

When we're done, I change into my clean clothes, seeing Matt's dirty ones strew around the bathroom. He steps out with a grin and begins to put them back on. I cringe.

"What?" He asks innocently. "These are fresh – I put my other ones in the wash and changed into these" I look at him skeptically. "I did come in wearing only jeans…" He says. Yes, yes he did…but he couldn't have changed in the seconds that I'd looked away from him. "Im a ninja" He rolls his eyes and then takes off his jeans again, shoving them at me. "Smell'em" I give them a tentative sniff, and am pleased to find that they smell delightfully of washing powder. "I win" He second-thinks himself, flinging them over to the bed and then doing the same with his undies.

"What on earth are you doing?" I ask, rolling my eyes and ushering him out of the steamy bathroom and turning off the light behind me.

"Need pajamas to sleep" He shrugs one shoulder and digs in the bag for something to wear. He finds something and puts it on. "Say 'bye-bye-butt' Mel" I glance over and Matt's swaying his butt at me, quickly pulling up his tracksuit bottoms before I can kick it. "Bedtime" He flings himself onto the bed and pulls me after him. We tumble to find a suitable position, but end up as we always do. I'm behind him, my arm draped over his shoulder and down his side, resting near his stomach. He's holding that hand with one of his, his spare hand a prop for his head.

"Matt…" I whisper.

"Mm?" He answers, tangling our feet together under the covers.

"You gonna' keep watch?"

"Sure thing Mel, g'night"

I'm not sure what time exactly I fell asleep, however when I wake up, Matt isn't in bed with me. Initially, I worry as to _why _he isn't in bed. Then I worry why he isn't in our room – because I cant hear him anywhere else, and my disgruntled call of _"Matt?" _fell on deaf ears, if any ears at all. Then, I wonder how the hell he managed to sneak out of my arms – I'm a light sleeper, I should've been wakened if he'd moved me. So, slightly annoyed, more at my failure to notice his departure than him actually leaving, I huff and snuggle into the covers a little more to make up for the lack of warmth. Which is then that I realize that Matt had _left me alone. Again! _What happened to taking the night watch? Keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, ready to yell at me to run if we had to bolt? How could he do that if he were working? Asshole! I pound the pillow once with my fist and something slides down, making me snap up suddenly as I force my senses to wake up a little. I'm more mortified to find the thing that startled me is merely a sheet of paper, unnecessarily A4 in size and lined, torn carelessly from what could have been a pad. I take it with my finger and thumb, sitting up wearily and turning on the light. I curse at it like I'm staring into the sun, but glare at the words in front of me on the piece of paper as I try to read them.

_Gone to work, will be back at seven-ish. Please don't be mad – I have my phone. X_

_Shrooms. _

Instantly, Matt's voice comes to mind as I read the letter and I _can't _be mad. I set the letter on the bedside table and check I've set the alarm for school tomorrow. It should wake me at half seven. That's if I even get back to sleep, because now I know Matt isn't here, I doubt I will do. I don't like being sneaked up on. But with our work shifts, we may have to sort something out, because clearly this 'night watch' thing we'd had going on for two years wasn't going to work now. It didn't help that it had been reassuring to sleep having the other awake to watch. Maybe we'd just have to work something else out…maybe the world has shifted more in our favour…

Or maybe I'm just thinking shit.

Thanks Matt, love you too.


	9. Chapter 9

Runaways: Chapter 8

**A different Perspective. **

**_LIGHT's Point of View_**

I head into the Psychology classroom, knocking before entering despite there being no call of acceptance. If I waited for one, I'd be waiting forever, mind you. I head on in, seeing L's hunched figure over his desk grading papers, the red marker vibrant and dominant on the pages.

"Good morning Light" L says, not looking up from his marking. "What can I do for you?" He finishes the paper he's on and slides it across to another pile, picking up another from a separate pile and beginning another paper.

"Those two new kids are here – they handed in their signed papers a few minutes ago" I tell him, slightly unnerved by his lack of attention. It's rude.

"And?" L continues, not even glancing at me. "They said they would do so and they have"

"That's my point" I sigh.

"That they're obedient and can follow rules?" L looks up, reading my face no doubt. "Oh, you still think they don't have a mother" He nods and goes back to marking.

"It's not completely impossible. What mother would send her two sons to enroll at a new school, in a new town no less, on their own?"

"A busy one" L states. "Unless you have proof, Light-kun, I cannot believe any superficial theories that you have" He sighs, frowning and putting a huge X over one of the paragraphs of his students essays. I'd forgotten how harsh he was at marking, but it's probably why his classes have the best grades. "Is there anything else, Light?"

"No…nevermind" I turn and leave, shutting his door behind me. Just as I do so, the bell for the children to get to their classes rings, so I obediently head to mine just as a few children are filing in. I head to my desk at the front and bring up the electronic register on the computer. The two new students aren't at the bottom of my register, so they aren't in my Home Room class. I don't know what to think of that.

Home Room is only fifteen minutes long, and gives me time to do the register – they take about five minutes to get in and another five to settle, so by the time I get round to doing the register, I've finished it just as the bell goes for their first lesson.

I check the memo's on my emails as they leave, waiting for my first class of the day to file in soon. There's one mentioning the two new kids, Marco and Martin, and their scores of the intelligence test determining their core classes. Marco's was higher than Martin's, but not by much. The point-eight gap was enough to put them in different boundaries. Martin was at the top of the middle group, missing out on the top group by just one point, however something told me that he wouldn't be willing to work to the high standards of the top groups anyway. Marco on the other hand was somewhere in the middle of the top group, and I was sure he'd be fine. It just meant that he'd have harder classes than his red headed twin, most likely taking L's psychology course too.

I don't know what classes they have from the email, but I know the passwords to the students timetables, so it's not like I can't find out. I set my science class a task and get into the database with ease. I print off their timetables, finding that they are both in the same English class next Block, and I'm not teaching. I quickly email the English teacher Ms. Horris and ask if it's ok if I sit in, curious of her teaching techniques in comparison to mine. She emails back fifteen minutes later agreeing, by which time my class has finished their tasks and I can go through the lesson's aims with them.

As I sit in Ms. Horris' class, I quickly figure that the blonde, Marco, is much more confident than his red headed counterpart. He answers the questions with ease and confidence, despite us teachers being wary of the fact that the two could be behind – after all, the book currently being read in English was over forty chapters long. Ms. Horris asked Marco about the book and, oh, he's already read it before.

The boy continues on in this way, helping other kids about him – but making no move to engage in a conversation with them – as well as the red head next to him. It's not hard to guess that the blonde is definitely brighter than the red head, however there's something intriguing about the red head and his carefree – more like careless – attitude that makes him slightly more interesting. He makes absolutely no effort in class, in comparison to Marco, who excels casually, and I briefly wonder why on Earth he's even here. His notes are weak and minimal compared to Marco's, who's got pages full. Ms. Horris doesn't mention it as the lesson finishes, and allows them both to leave along with the rest of the class, after wishing them the best.

Their next lesson is Physical Education – P.E. rather, which I can't observe because I have a class. However, the playing field is almost directly opposite my classroom, which has many large windows, so it isn't hard to spot the vibrant blonde and red shimmers outside. They're playing football, both placed on the same team. If I were that teacher, I'd place them on separate teams and see how competitive they are – this just proves how well they work and stick together, which isn't logical considering we already know that. Again, Martin does the bare minimal. Marco is much more athletic, running for the ball and encouraging his team mates – from what I can see anyway – whereas Martin simply waits for direction – but does score the team a few goals. I turn my attention back to my class, finishing the lesson on time as the bell goes for break time.

Unsurprisingly, Martin and Marco sit alone at a two-seater table in the cafeteria – there's no room for anyone to join if they wanted to. A few people go over and give Marco friendly pats on the back, but Martin is completely antisocial, reminding me of L in some ways. Thinking of, I head to the Psychology classroom where L is no doubt, watching him munch on a rainbow coloured lollipop before knocking a few seconds after.

"Twice in one day?" L sighs, sliding his slate-grey eyes over to me.

"I hear Marco is in your Psychology class. That should be interesting"

"He seems like the type to have many opinions. Indeed, it should be interesting"

"The other one – Martin – reminded me of you before, he was all hunched and antisocial in the cafeteria" The bell rang again, reminding the children to get to their next lesson.

"It isn't hard to see that Marco is the more confident of the two" L states. "Light?"

"Hm?"

"Don't you have a class to teach?"

I head back to my classroom. I don't have a class to teach but L does, and I'm sure it's the one with Marco in his class. As I walk towards my room, I take the outside route because I like the fresh air, I pass the red head – Martin – along with some other kids, all with innocent looks on their faces, one hand behind their backs. It doesn't take a genius to know that they've been smoking.

"You could at least try to hide that disgusting habit a little better y'know" I shake my head in disappointment at the lads, turning to Martin carefully. "I didn't think this to be your kind of crowd – does Marco know?" Martin shrugged a shoulder, rebelliously bringing his hand from around his back and taking a drag on the cigarette.

"Probably. Sixth senses n' all" He smiles. "Twin thing, right?"

"Scat – get to classes, all of you" They stub out their cigarettes and disappear around the corner, but my eyes linger on the red head. As he walks away, I quickly realize that he's actually quite cute in his small, timid way.

The teaching Block passes with me grading some papers and arranging a new test for the end of the week; It's then that I remember that it's parent/teacher day in a few weeks, so i make a mock up of the letter, make a few more drafts and hand it to Mr Wammy – the head teacher – to go over. He approves it and orders me to print off 1,400 copies before handing it to the secretary to arrange appropriately. The lunch bell goes as I place the draft on my desk, so I pick up my pre-prepared lunch box, my apple and my bottle of water and head to the Staff Room, walking through the cafeteria to get to it. I see Marco and Martin sat alone again, however they have no food in front of them and don't look like they're going to be eating any time soon. I watch as Marco leans over to Martin, but Martin leans back and folds his arms over his chest. I leave my observations there and head up to the Staff Room, surprised to see L there. I take the seat next to him as he pours many cups of tea from the kettle on the coffee table.

"Tea, Light?"

"No thanks…" Once he finishes serving everyone their tea, he takes out his own prepared lunch box, only it contains many more sweets than actual food. "I honestly don't know how you can survive healthily"

"I could go into details, but it's really none of your business" L huffs.

"Hm, did you notice Martin's complete lack of attention?" I ask quietly.

"Who?"

"Martin – the new kid, red head"

"Still on about this, Light?" L sighs, dipping his strawberry's in a ready-made pot of almost-set melted chocolate.

"I still think they're weird" I frown, determined to get my point across. "And I saw Martin smoking outside inbetween lessons"

"Well, that must be addressed" I nod, thankful. "Also, have you seen either of them eat today? I find it quite unnerving that I haven't" I know for a fact that L is very observational – he picks up on these kinds of random things. "They're both still growing boys – they should be eating for such" Though, now that he mentioned it, I didn't see them eating when I'd passed them at lunch or break.

"Maybe they were going to buy food" L gives me a skeptical look. "We should keep a log, write these things down" L looks at me for at least four seconds before nodding slightly. I stand up.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to hand the parent/teacher letters to Jeanie"

"Who?" L asks, a slightly frown on his face.

"The secretary?" L's face lights up as he remembers.

"Oh, oh okay. Goodbye Light"


	10. Chapter 10

Runaways: Chapter 9

**Suspicion. **

**_NOBODY's Point of View_**

At the end of the day, Mello met Matt outside of the red heads class, a grin of support on his face. The red head simply frowned, hauled his bag over his shoulder with over-exaggerated effort and walked unconsciously in step with the blonde down the corridor.

"Was it that bad?" Mello asked. "How did you find the classes?" He prompted, trying to get a better picture of how Matt's day had gone. Not receiving a reply, he continued. "Well…did anything completely bad happen?"

"I got caught smoking by a teacher" Matt shrugged a shoulder, turning to Mello with apathy. "But it's not completely that bad"

"It is on your first day" Mello grumbled. "And how did you even get a cig – last time we got a pack was before London"

"Some of the other guys had 'em" Mello sighed at the tone Matt was giving him. He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with the red head, and to make it worse, Matt was going to make it all as painful as he possibly could.

"Oh Matty…" Mello sighed, then smiled. "Sorry… _Martin_" He laughed softly, linking his arm through the red heads. "I'm sure you'll settle at some point" He tried.

"No. I wont –I don't _like _school Mel. I don't _want _to settle. _You _can settle just fine without me – you were on top of everything today"

"I was blending in, Matt" Mello said quietly.

"You knew all about that book in English" Matt stated, his voice low. "I've never heard of it, let alone seen the cover, read an extract or ever had the desire to read it. You flew around the football pitch like you took football as a fucking out of school activity – I'm sure the teachers _love _you Mel"

"You scored goals too – you were good-"

"Yeah, when I tried. Mel, it's _boring. _I can't do it"

"You can. If you go all anti-social on me you'll only attract more attention to yourself. Talk to a few people, be average in class – it doesn't hurt"

"It's easy for you" Matt sighed, dragging his heels on the floor as he walked. Mello looked over at him with a curious but loving smile, adoration glittering in his eyes. "Everything is easy for y-" Matt stopped talking and it took Mello few moments to work out why.

"Oh, it's that paedo-teacher and L…" Mello whispered. They kept their heads down as they walked past the two teachers, letting out a long sigh as soon as they were out of eye range and on the safe road back home.

"On a first name basis now, are we?" Matt frowned, slightly – maybe just a little, jealous.

"It's what he makes us call him" Mello smiled, slipping his hand discretely into Matt's, their bodies close to hide it.

"He was watching us today, that…that-" Matt bit his bottom lip carefully, then released it as he put on a mock-accent. "I'm Mr. Yagami and I teach science".

"Hm?" Mello chuckled at the accent.

"He came into English in the morning" Matt continued seriously, leaving Mello's cheery smile to fade. The blonde nodded to confirm it. "He didn't look at anyone but us – like he was evaluating us" Mello frowned instantly.

"I didn't notice"

"No – you were too caught up _blending in" _Matt retorted. "Then his classroom during Phys. Ed – it's right across from the pitch – the whole game I spent feeling like I was being watched"

Mello bit his lip nervously, considerate.

"Oh… you're making me paranoid, now. Stop it – we have no proof-"

"Walked past us twice in the cafeteria – and he was the one to spot me smoking" Matt frowned. "That topped it all off – he's a freak. He's out to get us" Mello delayed his answer a few seconds, thinking of how to reply and what to reply with.

"My Psychology teacher is a freak too – but a good freak. That's L by the way – the one we saw?"

"I know who he is Mel, and what he looks like" Matt tapped his head with his finger. "Supermarket and interrogation" Mello smiled, giving the red heads hand a squeeze.

"He's fun though. Gives out the out-of-date sweets to kids that get their work done"

"Isn't that a health and safety risk? You could get food poisoning"

"Nawh" Mello dismissed. "They're literally on-the-date out-of-date"

"Ew" Matt huffed. "Freak"

When the pair reached the motel, Mello took out a tenner from his last-night earnings and put it on the side to pay for today's rent. He'd make Matt run down to the reception and pay it later – but seeing as Matt had apparently suffered through a whole day of boredom, Mello only thought it right to pay the rent. When he'd done that, he flopped his bag on the floor, emptied it's contents and was soon surrounded by notes and a homework booklet, by which point Matt was fully enthralled by a TV show.

"What're you doing?" Mello quipped, pen in hand, hair pinned back ready to start.

"Watchin' TV?"

"Don't you have homework?" Mello sighed, turning to his first question.

"Probably" Mello scolded Matt instantly, giving him a five minute rant on how they were probably already behind and how they would need to catch up. It's end result was that Matt thoroughly searched his bag for anything that could potentially be homework. To his delight, there was actually nothing, so Mello allowed him to quietly watch TV as he got on with his own homework, finishing it in under an hour. When he didn't get any response from the red head, he took the ten pound note from the side and dangled it in front of his face, reminding the red head to go and pay rent.

"Asshole" Matt muttered, snatching it from Mello's fingertips and heading out to the reception area. As disgruntled as the red head was at having to leave the motel room, Mello was glad to find that, upon his return, he got himself a very needy and thankful make out session against the wall in thanks. _Must've realized I'd paid the rent today, _Mello thought with a grin.

Mello watched with elatedness as Matt took the leftover Chinese out of the fridge and heated it up. At least he was eating something, which was good.

"Want some?" Mello shook his head in response and took some newly washed and dried clothes from the pile by the counter.

"Im gonna' go for a shower – you'll be ok?" Matt nodded, opening the box with caution as steam protruded from the sides. "Don't burn yourself" Just as Mello headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind him, he caught a quick gasp followed by a string of curses. Chuckling to himself, he started up the shower, stripped down and stepped in.

"Mel?" Matt whispered, rubbing the sleeping blonde's shoulder carefully, a frown on his face. He earned a half awake – half asleep grunt in response, the blonde's forehead creasing slightly. "I'm going to work…you ok?"

"You didn't bother to wake me last time" Mello yawned, sitting up on his elbows and slowly opening his eyes.

"You looked a little…hot"

"Thanks?" Mello managed a sleepy laugh, sighing and flopping his head back. "Eh…I do feel a little warm…" Matt smiled.

"That's what I meant – you didn't look comfy sleeping like that anyways" He gave a shrug and headed around the end of the bed and to the door. "Sorry"

"Hey!" Mello exclaimed, reaching forwards with a disgruntled look on his face. "Where's my goodbye kiss?" Matt grinned, jumping onto the bed and tackling both Mello and the bed sheets until the two had a compromised comfortable position to kiss in. "Can't you skip work n' stay?"

"Nope – you paid rent today. Imma' pay it tomorrow" Mello huffed at this, pushing the red head playfully away. "Night Mel"

"I'm not sleepin'…" Mello frowned, propped up against the headboard with his arms folded across his chest. "I might as well guard this place"

"All night?" Mello gave a shrug, leaving Matt to smile in disbelief as he left the motel for work.

Matt surprisingly enjoyed his work. It got separated into two parts, the first of which he'd spend on the tills, which was a little more social, but it passed the time a little more quickly than the second half, which was spent stocking up the shelves, keeping to himself but giving directions if needed. As he reached up to the top shelf, putting away a box of mints in the sweet isle, a chill ran up his spine like an electric shock. _Spidey-senses are tingling… _

Matt fell back onto his heels, cautiously glancing around him for anything suspicious. After seeing nothing, and being alone on the aisle, he put it down to a draft, finishing stacking the boxes and moving back to the trolley with the rest of other items. As soon as he touched the handle bars, the shock returned, this time reaching up to his neck and startling him.

Automatically, he fell back with his back against the shelf, looking around quite as paranoid as Mello was. He took a breath in, stepping to the end of the aisle with silent steps, poking his head out and looking either way with equal speed. Baring in mind it was almost half five in the morning – only half an hour to go – the shop was still quite silent and very empty, apart from a few very strange shoppers. One of which was wearing a black suit, a basket in one hand containing a bag of apples, a 4 pint-milk bottle and an orange juice carton. Matt might not have thought anything of it had the man not turned to head down another aisle, giving Matt a perfect sight of the man's profile – one that set Matt on his guard and almost brought up a panic attack.

He left the trolley where it was and excused himself into the Staff Only room, getting himself a glass of water and hiding out there for the next fifteen minutes, or as long as it took to calm his heavily beating heart. _It can't be. _He thought, frowning. _How could he find us so quick? _Matt breathed, putting his head on his knees as he drew them up to his chest. _It's probably just my mind playing tricks. It can't have been him. _

When his shift ended, he took his hoodie from his designated locker and quickly threw up the hood. He clocked himself out at three minutes past six and was just heading out when-

"Matt?" He turned around, the confused look on his Boss' face now seemingly more sure. _Must've been the hoodie. _"I wanted to give you this" The man passed him a piece of paper with a confident smile. "I know you've only been here a few shifts already, but your hard work is really too impressive to ignore" Matt glanced over the letter, seeing _'Promotion' _at the top along with more terms and conditions, his new times and obviously, higher pay. "I kept the hours similar to the ones you work now, but the pay is obviously better" Matt smiled and said his thanks, shaking his Boss' hand with gratitude. "Let me know if there's any problems"

"There shouldn't be" Matt's eyes fell back to the paper, seeing his new times in bright red – 2am – 9am. _Cutting it a bit close to school there – oh well! _He held back a smile.

"So you accept?" Matt nodded. "Great! In that case, you have tomorrow night off, but come in at 2am the night after and I'll give you your new schedule, ok?"

"Sure, thanks Boss" They parted ways, leaving Matt slightly stunned but altogether happy. He couldn't wait to see Mello's face when he told him!


	11. Chapter 11

Runaways: Chapter 11

**Problems. **

**_MATT's Point of View_**

As I walk home from work, I feel like I'm being expanded. My head is elated at the fact that I've got a promotion – yay – more moneyz for us! – but at the same time, my heart is being torn out of my chest because I know Mello isn't going to like it – but I do – I can get away with not going to school! My shift now finishes at nine, and school starts at nine, so if I play the 'im gonna' be hella' tired' to Mel, I'm sure he'll let me stay off school – but he still wont like it. But yay! Promotion! I even jump a few times on my walk home, I'm _that _excited – I don't think I've ever had a promotion before – actually, I'm sure this is my first. So I keep the grin attached to my face all the way back to the motel.

The sense of impending doom that I get as I unlock the door ultimately tears me apart – it's made my gut sink so low into the ground that I'm _sure _Lucifer can prod it.

I unlock the door with the keys, locking the door behind me and putting them on the table beside me. Mello's not awake, so I'm assuming he fell asleep at some point. Daft bat. I pull off my shoes and go for a quick shower – leaving the door half open – before sneaking into bed with Mello for the next hour that I have with him. He usually wakes up at around half seven, quarter to eight anyways. I feel him shift closer, acknowledging me by wrapping an arm over my shoulder and lacing his warm legs with my cold ones. He twitches at the shock, but doesn't wake up. 1Up for me! Sneaking into bed with Mello without waking him is a whole different challenge – he's a severely light sleeper, did I mention that?

It's easy to tell when Mello wakes up. Apart from the obvious (eyes open, body moving, breathing changes), he often rolls onto his back and stretches, so that his toes reach the end of the bed and his hands are as far to the ceiling as they'll go. It's funny when he does it too fast and he gets cramp though... I have to stop laughing to help rub it away, and _that _is a hard thing to do.

"When did you get in?" He mumbles, his arms flopping from their skyward position back to his sides.

"About half past six – then I went for a shower" Mello rolls over so he's on top of me, looking up at me with his bedraggled hair and sleepy eyes. _Cute! _"Don't do that" I whisper, leaning in and pecking his head.

"Too hot, again?" Mello smirks, straddling my thighs and leaning over me, putting his hands either side of my head. His hips move rhythmically.

"Do you always get horny in the morning?" I ask, frowning, my fingers walking up his thighs.

"No...but you're naked under there...so today, yes" I blush and shove him off, rolling onto my side with embarrassment. Mello comes up behind me, snuggling closer. "I'm sorry" He chuckles. "I couldn't help it" He proceeds to make up for it by giving me hickeys on my neck, which I tell him to stop because it'd be unexplainable at school. He argues, but I blame him for coming up with the 'twin' story anyways. "So what?" He huffs, leaning in and turning my head to face him. I roll onto my back for comfort.

"So – no is no. Stop giving me hickeys!" Mello chuckles at my tantrum, hugging me closer and holding me against him until we decide it's time to move. Which is a while later, and Mello panics because we're going to be late for our second day of school – and it's already Wednesday! (we enrolled on Monday, started on Tuesday). Speaking of being late— "Oh, hey, guess what?" Mello gives me the face that says '_im not guessing' _as he reaches for new underwear and a pair of pants. "I got a promotion! My first ever one!"

"That's awesome" Mello smiles, genuinely happy for me for all of three seconds before realisation dawns on him. "Oh fucking hell" He mumbles, hauling a shirt off the washing pile and snapping it to his side. He turns to me and I sit up – still naked under the bedsheets and not making a move to get dressed at all. "So...what? More pay?" I nod. "More hours, though" I shrug.

"I work two till nine now" I bit my lip in anticipation.

"What! Matt, school starts at nine!" Mello sighs exasperated.

"They don't know I go to school – s'posed to be eighteen, remember?"

"You'll be late" Mello sighs again.

"I know! Isn't it awesome!"

"No!" Mello snaps. "They'll ask me questions, why isn't Matt here? Why didn't you get him up on time? He's your _twin _shouldn't you know these things?" Mello pulls on the T-shirt and begins the search for socks. "Christ... Matt, I'm working two till six today – I have to miss afternoon lessons! If we both start missing school because of work, they'll ring home or ask for _Mum _to come into school – newsflash – there is no mum!"

"Breathe – we'll make things up, it'll be fine" I smile to try and ease his worries, but he snaps at me instead.

"This isn't funny Matt!" I frown at him. "Don't give me that look – we're gonna' be late, get dressed"

We head into home room at nine, Mello still anxious about missing school. We take our seats, sitting in silence for the whole fifteen minutes – apart from replying to our names being called – and acknowledging the 'parent/teacher meeting' letters that were supposed to be returned as soon as possible. Then we headed off to our lessons.

We don't have any of the morning lessons together, or any throughout the whole day for that matter, so we agree to meet at break.

However, my first lesson is I.C.T – all things computer and technology – therefore my strongest subject. Although my owning of anything technology spans as wide as a crappy mobile phone, I love technology. If I could own and keep X-box's, DS's and Nintendo's and GB Advances, I would. Though, they'd be hell to haul around when flicking from one place to another – I suppose that's why I left it all back at my old place. The thought of having to register each and every item at point A and then point B was too daunting. But yes – first lesson is I.C.T and I'm thoroughly looking forward to it. It brightens up the inevitably dull morning that came with telling Mello about my work situation. However, as I step in, there are a few faces I'd rather not see.

It's the second time I've had ICT since our enrolment at school here, so I'm familiar with a few faces already – even if I don't talk to them – and some I like and others I don't. Zach, Warren and Greg, to be specific. They aren't the best at computers, they tend to just sit in their own corner at the back looking at websites and not doing any work. It's alright until they notice who _is _doing the work – so, me and a few other kids, to which they then begin to spam our school email boxes with shit and generally bug the hell out of people.

This was my first encounter of them, but being the introvert I am, I said nothing. Despite my semi-OK skills in martial arts, I would ever use them in a public place unless I was possibly going to be raped and I knew Mello wasn't going to come to my rescue. My skills are OK at best.

But, the thing with bullies is you can't win on your own. If you say something back, you get beat up. If you don't say anything at all, you get beat up as well. If someone else sticks up for you – you die on the spot and your knight in shining armour becomes their new target – in my case, my Knight would be Mello. This arrangement would be fine anywhere else – teenagers on a park, adults harassing us, a misunderstanding at a store, but bullies? At school? Mello doesn't need the hassle – I can keep an eye out for myself, just not as good as Mello, or even as much as Mello would like.

As I step into the classroom, the three boys block my seat, Warren sat in it whilst Zach and Greg flank him. I opt to find another computer. The teacher isn't here yet, so it's best to play it safe. They eye me as I ignore them, pulling out a chair and logging myself into the computer. In some ways, Zach reminds me of Mello and his temperamental behaviour. He's snapped fifteen times in the one day that I've seen him.

His chair launches away from him as he sends it hurtling across the floor in anger, his face irritated and determined to start something. I focus on the screen, opening up the internet.

"Think you can just ignore us, eh?" He kicks my chair and it slides to the left. My fingers linger on the keyboard, unsure of what to do. "Martin eh? You look like a Martin, I mean, what the hell is this?" His hand flies to my head, grasping my hair in between his fingers as he tugs it upwards My scalp aches as he releases my hair, but brings his hand back around to knock me round the head. He laughs, Warren and Greg coming around and sliding into place next to Zach. Greg chuckles, reaching to my face – my goggles – but the teacher walks in, his hands snaps back and they disperse back to their seats without any further comments. Ten minutes later, my email inbox is spammed with thirty messages – about ten from each – commenting on everything that is apparently wrong with me.

Which leaves me grinning madly to myself because they don't know a fucking thing about me to know what's wrong with me.

I leave the lesson as soon as the bell goes and take the outside of the building, passing Liam and Cody – who are now my two favourite people – who pass me a cig as we pass each other. At first, I was wary of his kindness – obviously he'd want something in return – but apparently he gets them by the bucket loads, and really does hand them out for free with no expectations, so I didn't think about it any more. I smoke it as I walk to my next lesson, Science, which is with that teacher, the weird one.

It's even weirder because I bumped into him – first impressions are vital, right? – and being stupid enough to not look where you're going isn't exactly a great impression to leave on your teacher. So things are quite awkward whenever I go near him.

I stub the cig out on the wall before I enter the science block, entering the classroom as the usual latecomers – including myself – are sitting down. His gaze lingers on me for a little longer than I'd like, but he soon does the register and then begins the lesson, at which I tune out and pretend to listen. I don't hate maths and science, they seem like things I should like, but I don't really get them. I should find them easy, Mello keeps telling me that I look like someone who'd enjoy maths and science because I like my technology and stuff, but I don't. Maths is a jumble of shit and Science is a shit-heap full of fuck – no matter how hard I try to understand the jargon, I can't. The numbers, the symbols, the equations? I look at them with the utmost determination, renewed each time it's a new equation or question (which is a lot of the time because there are so many) – but after the first ten minutes of trying, hopelessness begins to sink in and I realise that I can't do it. I've tried, Mello goes over it with me so many times and I eventually resort to pretending I get it because it _hurts _me athow much effort he puts into it, and how little I end up understanding it. Science, with a freaky teacher who has a bad-impression of me that's stuck, is not my favourite-spent hour and a half.

At break, Mello's cheered up significantly though. I sometimes worry that education makes him happy, me being me, I can't understand it at all. We don't speak much, Mello basically reminding me that he won't be there to walk home with me because he's working. I nod in reply and that's pretty much it. I don't mention Zach, Warren and Greg or the 'warning' that I got in Science because I hadn't done the work correctly. Mello doesn't need to be bothered with such things. We don't have anything to eat; we didn't bring anything and we aren't going to buy anything, there's no need and we aren't hungry. We separate again for the lesson after break, which I have History and Mello has Geography.

I actually quite like history. The teacher is small with short, mousy brown hair and thin framed glasses around her small eyes. Laughably, she's called Mrs. Small. But yes, apart from the whole essay writing and the power point presentations that have to be delivered to the class, I enjoy learning about the history of our own country as well as others. It's funny how simple things ripple out, changing and adapting the courses and events that happen. I listen to Mrs Small with the upmost interest, and she seems pleased as I ask questions and answer her own, but that's as far as I go. I fail at writing essays, miserably.

I know what to say, but I can't put it into words, and I've always struggled with it so it doesn't bother me much any more. It's only irksome when the teachers bring it up, lesson after lesson. _I know already. _My photographic memory is relied on a lot I guess, it makes up heavily for my lack of note taking. I don't tell everybody as a point of interest – it makes me more of a freak – but I think that L guy and Mr Yagami know – because I mentioned it on my application form thing. There's two girls sat in front of me, there's two people per desk – I'm sat next to another girl who seems to be friends with the two in front. She's called Daisy – the two in front are Jess and Lilly. Daisy turns to me once Mrs Small has set the task.

"Did you get any of that?" She laughs quietly.

"Not really, sorry" Daisy waves her hand dismissively and turns to the text book in front of us. She points to a question.

"We answer these" There's ten questions, all the answers will be in the passage to the left of the question Box on the page. The tenth question is an essay. "If you take your time on the nine questions, you might not have to do the essay" She winks and begins to write, but then stops. "Or…I could help you if you wanted?" I blink. Normally, Mello helps. _But Mello isn't in your class. _"Y-y-know…I could make up an essay plan or something?"

"Um…" Essay plans? What the hell?

"O-or… not, if you don't…I mean, it…" She blushes looking down. Lilly laughs in front of us and turns around – Jess doing the same.

"It's worth a try – it might help you" She says encouragingly. "They help me" I nod in thanks and turn to Daisy.

"Sure, thanks" Secretly, I'm hoping that it'll take me forever to finish the nine questions so I don't have to do the essay – but the nine questions are easy, and take less than five minutes each. So Daisy hands me the essay plan and I attempt to make an effort, finishing it just as the bell goes. It isn't mandatory to hand essays into the teacher unless she asks for our work books in to mark, but Jess encourages me to do it so that I can see if the essay plan made any difference. I check my watch – I don't want to be late meeting Mello – knowing him he'll worry.

Jess takes my book from me before I can say no, handing it to Mrs Small and asking what she thinks. She's fast in her marking, but I'm pleased to see my first three paragraphs with nice red ticks on them. Not three minutes later she's done. And it's graded a B.

"It's certainly better – what happened?" She chuckles, looking at the four of us mischievously. "Girls, you're obviously a good influence" Jess and Lilly laugh and Daisy blushes madly. I didn't realise it before, but I think she may have a thing for me…

"No" Lilly laughs. "Daisy made him an essay plan"

"They work for you Martin, Keep up the good work" I refrain from laughing at my ridiculous alias and accept the book back as she hands it to me. I say my thanks to Mrs Small and the girls before heading back to the cafeteria to meet Mello.

We don't eat anything but then again we're not starving, so it doesn't bother us too much, despite the fact that everyone else is eating. Mello seems content with doing his homework now so he has less to do later – and then he won't be behind – so I leave him to do that whilst observing the rest of the pigs in the cafeteria before heading to my second to last lesson, Art. I hate it, so I do the bare minimal, just like in the majority of my other lessons.

As I leave Art and head to my last lesson, Maths, I spot Mello leaving through the back gates of the school, heading to work. Something makes my body ache as he leaves, and I'm sure that the day will only get worse without him. He doesn't turn to look behind him, but his cautious glances around remind me that we're still supposed to be on our guard. With that thought, I trudge to maths as though I'm being dragged to my death.

Whilst I'm in maths, although I hate numbers and such as explained with science, they are easy enough to understand, so I try and make a bit more of an effort in the class. Saying that, the task that should've taken us a whole hour and a half – class time – has taken me only half an hour at snails pace, so I'm left to gaze out of the window playing _'Count the birds' _until the majority have finished and the teacher goes over the answers. I get a ninety three out of a hundred – it's not bad considering I didn't try as much as Mello could. I'm proud of myself until I realise that this is the easy stuff used as an introduction to other more sophisticated chapters of the lesson. I think I'll find a way to skip maths from now on. The bell finally goes at the end of the day, leaving me to pack up my things with no bullies or girls to hold me back.

It's only as I leave the maths room however that I see the small carton of apple juice on the teachers desk and am reminded of the man in the super market, with the orange juice, milk and apples. _The one that suspiciously looked like Officer Jenkins. _I forgot to tell Mel. I go bug eyed at this, and resist the temptation to text him during work. Did this count as an emergency? Or is it only if I'm dying? Awh fuck. I don't text him, despite clutching my phone in my hand for at least ten minutes before coming to a conclusion. He can't do anything about it where he is anyway.

Im only fifteen minutes away from the motel when I see Zach, Warren and Greg following me. I even switch roads a number of times until I'm lost – so I'm sure they are too – and therefore must be following me. Anticipation settles in my stomach, making my body flare with adrenaline and resisting the urge to run. I keep to public places as I try to lose them, so as not to lead them back to the motel – to Mello, but I'm not convinced that it'll work forever.


	12. Chapter 12

Runaways: Chapter 12

**Incidents.**

**_MELLO's Point of View_**

I finish work a little later than expected, but it's ok because I've come to the conclusion that I like work. I get paid cash, I get tips, and the people are pretty friendly, so overall – apart from missing the last lesson of school – I enjoyed my day.

As I head back to the motel though, I have this sinking feeling in my gut, that something is wrong. I don't have dinner with me, but I do stop and buy some more coke for Matt and another few chocolate bars for me on the way home. If he has had a rough day then I'm sure that this'll cheer him up.

I keep the motel keys on me most of the time – Matt can pick locks as easy as unlocking doors with a key, it wont look too suspicious. As I let myself in, the place is eerily silent. The TV isn't on, which I thought it would be now Matt has it working. Matt isn't lying on the bed, but then again, it isn't that late and he doesn't sleep much anyways... It's only seven o'clock.

I dump my things on the empty bed, heading around it and to the small kitchen area. I place the bag with the pack of cokes in them on the table along with the chocolate bars, noticing the red and black bag-pack next to it.

Matt's bag is dumped on the table, the straps torn at and scratched, the front pocket ripped. I finger it for a moment before grazing my finger over something dry and crusty that isn't the material. I scratch at it and poke it until I get a firm amount of it on my finger, but it takes only seconds for me to realize that it's blood. I spin around, eyes wide.

Where was he? I call him, the open space in front of me is all of the room, he can't be anywhere else – _the bathroom. _But the door's shut. It occurs to me that this is the reason I didn't consider that Matt might be in there. Matt always keeps the bathroom door open just a few inches – never know why – but he does. _It's closed. _I reach for the handle, opening the door quickly and reaching for the light, tugging it on.

There's blood smeared on the sink, on the counter with the soap and toothbrushes. It's foot printed like paint on the tiled floor, smudged in other places where he's slipped. His clothes are unrecognizable, but stained red in colour, torn, ripped and unsalvageable as they hang lifelessly over the closed toilet lid.

"Matt?" I whisper, looking around. I find him huddled, like a monster from a horror movie, in the shower's corner, bruised and cut arms wrapped around equally abused legs, his head is left to loll on his arms. The walls are smeared with blood where he's probably tried to balance his weight and failed, but everything's dry; the shower isn't on. I can't make out if he's conscious, but the coppery scent of blood is making me nauseous. _The last time I saw this much blood…_

"Matt?" I slip my boots off, tossing them back into the open spaced room behind me. _My parents…_"Matt?" I pick at my socks, tugging them off my feet, one then two. _Please let him be ok. _ "Matt?" My voice becomes louder, my quiet whispers won't help anything. Bare footed, I roll up the bottoms of my trousers and step over to him. He's so helpless, my voice falls again to a whisper as I stare incredulously at the bloodied body in front of me. "Matty?" God, there's so much blood. "Matty" I choke, my breath hitching, catching in my throat as I get closer. I roll up the sleeve of my hoodie and touch his bare shoulder. The blood is still wet. Tears sting the back of my eyes, my head falling weightlessly down as my fists clench and I resist the urge to break down. "God" I breathe, screwing my eyes shut.

"What the fuck" I whisper. I panic instantly; I don't know what to do. I don't know where the nearest pharmacy is – his wounds need tending to. _Turn the shower on, clean him up. _No, not yet. "Matt? Can you hear me?" My arm reaches for his neck, fingers pressing into it to find a pulse. It's difficult, his skin is slick and wet because of the blood. But the pulse is there.

"Mel?" It's a whisper, so faint it's more ghostly than anything, but it's him. I sigh in relief.

"Thank god" I try and nudge his head back but my hands are shaking too much. He lets it loll back, almost hitting the tiles behind him. I hold the back of his head for comfort; his face is bruised, a gash on his temple, bruises on his jaw and cheeks, a cut lip…

"Matt?" He doesn't have a black eye, I notice, as his eyes warily open, squinting. I realize that he has blood dripping down his face, dangerously close to his eye. I wipe it away, smudging it over the rest of his face, following the blood trail back to somewhere in his hair. It must be a head wound, and I know they don't stop bleeding easily. How do I bandage up a head wound?

"Sorry" Matt whispers, his fingers – his arms unmoving from their place crossed loosely over his knees, but barely reaching my own – are outstretched, so I take them.

"You don't have to be sorry, it's ok" I whisper, kissing his head and pulling back just as fast as he sucks in a breath of pain. "I'm sorry" Matt attempts to laugh, but it's more like a shuddered breath. "How's your head?"

"Sore" He whispers, his voice becoming more and more faint.

"Matty, you can't sleep, ok?" I shake him a little. "No sleeping – occupy yourself, sing me something – just…" _I don't know! _ I tear myself away from him, taking the wash cloth from the counter and rinsing it with warm water. "Talk to me, Matt". As the water splashes, I hear the faint voice of Matt's singing, but it's more like husky reciting than melodic singing. I couldn't do any better in his state.

I leave it to soak in the sink whilst I remove my hoodie. Matt continues to murmur the song as I take off my T-shirt and tie my hair back. I can still hear Matt as I swap my work trousers for some scruffy ones in seconds. I head back into the bathroom and take the hot wash cloth from the sink. He's stopped singing.

"Matt?" I press, and his voice gets just a little louder as he continues to murmur the song. I turn off the taps and wring the cloth out. I approach Matt cautiously again, kneeling at his side. Matt's still singing. He whispers it now, looking over at me with a wry smile. I know the song. He continues. "I don't know which way I'm s'posed to spin" I place my free finger on his lips, motioning for him to stop.

"This could hurt…" I warn him, pulling his body closer to mine. He doesn't even whimper. As the washcloth nears his face, I pause. "Matt?" He feels like death. _No! _"Matty?" I shake him lightly, but it becomes desperate in seconds. "Matty?!" A choked groan alerts me to his tears, streaming down his face like a race.

"It hurts Mel" I don't waste any more time, dabbing at his face until it's mostly blood free, then I attempt to find his head wound because it's still bleeding. With shaky pointing from Matt I find it, but I'm still unsure what to do with it. I clean it the best I can. "Is there anything in it?" Matt asks, his head still bowed so I can examine the head wound.

"Hopefully your brain is still intact" I joke, stroking his head. "It's not big, but it's deep. There's just blood…"

"Keep pressure on it" Matt says and I eye him with a smile.

"Where did you learn first aid?" I chuckle.

"It's basic rules for bleeding wounds…you didn't know?" Matt's foot slides, the blood pooling under his foot eventually making it slip across the shower floor. It makes us both jump and Matt hisses in pain. "Ow…"

"Do you want me to put the shower on?"

"You'll get wet" Matt sighs, holding himself up on his arms with his back propped up against the wall – I stand up and remove the shower head from his stand. I direct it at the wall and turn it on, Matt hissing in response to the temperature.

"Im sorry!" I exclaim, trying to make it go down the plug hole as best I can until the temperature evens out. Eventually it does. I wet a sponge and passed it to Matt, leaving him with the shower head to hose down his bloodied legs whilst I address the head wound. I keep the pressure on it but I feel like Im pushing his head into his neck. Eugh. The cloth is rapidly sucking up the blood, so I start to pull it off in search for a replacement, but Matt grabs my leg, startling me. "What?"

"Don't take that one off – pressure, remember?"

"I don't know…" I whisper, the sockets of my eyes beginning to sting again. "I'm sorry"

"You're doing fine – just get a towel n' wet it a bit" His hand slides over mine, the one holding the wet cloth in place. "Go" I slip away from him and snatch a towel from the radiator, wetting it with the shower head before putting more pressure on Matt's head. "It should stop soon" Matt's doing a good job of cleaning up his body wounds, so I help him wipe the left over bits away with my spare hand.

"Mel?" He says quietly, looking over at me with an unreadable expression. I quickly kiss him on the lips randomly, whilst their free and unmoving. He gives me a small smile in response; the cut on his lip has crusted over. "….I saw something a lil' weird yesterday" I raise my eyebrows.

"Nothing to do with this attack then?" I slide my hand into his and nudge myself closer. He glances up at my hand on his head and gives me a blood free and clearer smile. I apply more pressure.

"Attack is a harsh word Mel"

"It's the fucking truth – you haven't seen your reflection" I kiss his cold cheek and reach up, just managing to turn off the shower.

"I…I think I saw OJ at the supermarket whilst I was at work" He whispers, so quietly that Im forced to ask again. "You heard"

"W-why did you say anything sooner?! What if this was his people or whatever, Matt, he's-"

"This has nothing to do with him, Mel" Matt croaks. "This is something else. I don't know if it was him I saw…it was just…the suit, the orange juice carton n' the apples – and I saw his profile and got the shivers before I saw him…"

"Damnit, it's not even been a week- how did he find us?"

"It might not be him Mel"

"You should've said something!" I cry, frowning at him.

"I wasn't sure…I'm still not" Matt says quietly, his gaze shifting to the scabbing wounds on his legs. "It's just something to look out for" I turn Matt's face to mine and kiss him to make up for the lack of words that I have – or haven't - got. I can't think what to say to make this day any better.

We have a brief make-out session before I dry him off with a clean towel, promising to get him to cream or something to clean the wounds properly as soon as I could. As I help Matt, now half-dressed in some loose pants, to the bed, there was a knock at the door. We both freeze, Matt's hand steadying himself on the bed as the other one stiffens around my waist, my own arm around his waist doing the same. We glance at each other, I motion at Matt to be quiet, but the knocking persists. Matt knocks me back, pointing to the bathroom. I shuffle quietly back into the bloodied room, the door kept a jar as I turn the light off, and listen. Matt opens the door, the sound is followed by a gasp.

"Oh my…a-are you-" Female. Possibly a school friend? Wait – Matt and school friends? I quirk a smile at this.

"I'm fine, really" Matt says, _unconvincingly. _Oh dear.

"A-alright…t-there's a first aid kit under the bed – it gets updated every few months so there should be some medicine or something in there for you"

"Really? Thanks" I think Matt's smiling – who is she?

"You're normally on time with your rent…but it's pretty late – you said you'd pay daily?"

"That I did" Matt manages a laugh and I hear him shuffle around. "Uhm… here" There's more rustling.

"That's great – sorry to be a bother"

"No, it's fine" Matt, always the nice guy. _Get her to fucking leave so I can fucking get you in bed! _"Thanks"

"Bye" She leaves and Matt shuts the door. He's leaning on the table by the door, my wallet in his hand. "M'sorry" He passes me the wallet. "Yours was there n' I knew you'd have tips"

"Y'did?" I emerge from the bathroom fully and step over to him step, by step, by step. Matt nods.

"Cause your cool like that" I laugh, take my wallet from him and chuck it on the table. I scoop an arm around his bare waist again, guiding him to bed.

"So…who was she?" Matt smiles.

"Jealous?" I stop, startled, ready to retaliate in my own defense, but I realize that –

"Yeah. I am" Matt's face brightens as he pecks my nose with his lips. It's when he does these little things that I realize, we're not adults. We may be as mature as adults, but we're still kids. We like the little things still. "Im walking home with you tomorrow" Matt raises an eyebrow as he stays lying on the covers. He doesn't get under them and I don't think he will – it'll irritate his wounds. "I'm not working – are you working tonight?"

"I get tonight off – I start tomorrow night" I lie down next to him, our hands slipping together.

"You'll be ok by then?" Matt give a one shouldered shrug.

"Is it ok to sleep now?" Considering Matt isn't a big sleeper, and his head wound could still turn into something worse, I don't know.

"You're the medic – is it?"

"Probably not – but I'm tired. My head hurts – I have a headache Mel"

"Ooooh" I smile, kissing his temple. "Better?" Matt shakes his head and I do it again. "Now?" I keep doing it, eventually leaving his head alone and moving all over his face until I reach his lips.

I leave Matt to sleep under the rules that I'll wake him every two hours to make sure he's still alive. He agrees, so I leave him and scrub down the bathroom, getting rid of all the blood and putting Matt's clothes in the wash. When the bathroom is as clean as I can get it, I turn to his torn bag for a distraction. I shake out all of his items and patch it up the best I can. As I put the items back in the bag, I come across a parent/teacher meeting letter. I leave it on the side until it's time to wake Matt up, occupying myself all night in order to wake him up when the two hours were up each cycle around. When I next wake him up, I ask if he has made up a signature – he must've if he handed in the enrolment papers.

He's a little weak still, so he tells me he's circled one of the many practices he did on a scrap sheet of paper, hidden in the bedside table compartment. Once I find it, I take the parent/teacher meeting letter and tick the 'unable to attend' box and write 'work commitments' under the reason, before copying the signature of 'Marie Jeel' to the best of my abilities and putting it back in Matt's bag. Every two hours, when I wake Matt up, I apply more treatment – courtesy of the first aid box under the bed – to different parts of his body until it's almost half seven in the morning.

Matt can still sleep for another half hour yet before I have to make him get up, but I briefly wonder how long it'll take to mask the wounds. I settle on waking him at quarter to, and we're just in time for the school bell to ring as we enter the gates, though, Matt's hobbling along, unsteadily, beside me.


	13. Chapter 13

Runaways: Chapter 13

**Concerns.**

**_L's Point of View_**

**(AN: im sorry for the [insert word here] of L's POV, as hard as I find it, it's necessary)**

I was perched on the edge of my chair, the desk's edge settling nicely against my shins. My bare toes were curled around the frame of the seat, my fingers paused lightly over the computers mouse as I scanned my latest email. I could probably recite it word for word by now, I'd read it over that many times already, but I still wasn't sure what to make of it, even after three teas, two packs of Haribo's and four different flavored lollies. It wasn't far off to say that I often found myself at my teaching desk many hours before school was even open – it was a common rumor that I even sometimes slept in the school. But despite the good hour and a half that I had been gazing at my computer screen, I had yet to reach a conclusion in way of a reply to the particular concern.

If I responded in the affirmative, then there would be an investigation, one that would only trouble the majority of uninvolved people. If I lied, and replied in the negative, then I'd have a guilty conscience and forever be wondering what I aven't apparently been able to figure out.

I did note that the email was sent to my 'L' inbox, the folder with my old English letter placed on the front – my detective account. The email was sent to me as a detective, not as a teacher, so chances were that other teachers hadn't got the same email. Something resembling relief settled in my stomach, but it was strange and foreign and made me feel slightly queasy. I took the packet of rainbow drops from my desk and started on them, deciding that next, it was time for tea.

I turned off the computer and headed upstairs to the staff room. School kids were already starting to arrive, a few of the early birds, including – apparently – Marco and Martin, were found chatting in the cafeteria. I didn't pause to chat, ponder or evaluate, but continued up to the teachers lounge where I boiled the kettle, added six sugars to my cup and simply sighed.

"Bad morning?" Light appeared next to me, coffee already cupped in his hands. His eyes were wide and awake.

"Troubled" I clarified, pouring the boiled water into the cup and stirring slowly before adding some milk.

"Does this have anything to do with an email enquiring about the two new kids?" Light raised his eyebrows knowingly. I stayed quiet. "My dad told me – wanted to warn me – off the record – about it. Apparently, this Officer Jenkins and whatever police force he's from have been tracking these two kids for nearly two years – they've told every school near by, informing headmasters and P.I's and such – not teachers directly though" Light sighed. "Probably didn't want to cause mass-panic or something"

"They're kids…not some terrorists on the run" I frowned, adding more sugar cubes to my tea.

"Do you think it's them? The image attached to the email looked just like them, save the hair colour and eye colour, but those could've easily been adapted"

"Did you reply?" I questioned, an unfamiliar and seemingly foreign emotion poking in my gut.

"I didn't get the email personally, my dad did – remember? He faxed it over this morning, but otherwise, I have no reason to know about them"

"You haven't replied, then?"

"I told my dad we had to new kids" Light smiled. "It's up to him if he tells Officer Jenkins or not" Light shrugged and walked off, leaving me still bundling sugar cubes into an overflowing tea cup in complete, unobvious bewilderment. Because I _don't get _bewildered.

I shuffled lightly in the spot I was in, reaching a pale hand forward and - out of what had inadvertently become habit in Watari's presence (and as good a manners that I would reach), simply opened the office door and walked straight in.

"Oh dear" Watari sighed, looking over concernedly. "The last time I saw that look, I had a hefty shopping bill to pay made up entirely of sweets" The old man chuckled at the memory, but stopped, rightly guessing that I wasn't in the mood this morning. "Come over here and sit down"

"I received an email enquiring about two missing children" Watari nodded as I began, lacing his fingers together. "Light acquired a copy of the email as his father works with the police force; you must have one by default due to your position as headmaster" Watari nodded. "Light proceeded to tell his father of our two new students – inadvertently alerting Officer Jenkins to two new children that may or may not be the ones that he is looking for" I frowned. "What is your opinion on the matter?" I looked up with a curious look that even Watari probably hadn't seen in almost a decade. I don't recall the last time I felt this…_motivated? _"Did you reply?"

"I have replied that we do indeed have two new students, however I have informed this Officer Jenkins of their guardianship concerning their mother. They cannot be runaways if they have a stable home life, and as far as we know, they do" Watari winked at me with a devious smile on his face. For an old man, he was very cunning. "You're quite protective of them, aren't you?"

"I haven't had the privilege of getting to know Martin as much as Marco however, Marco does prove to be an excellent challenge in classes… if they are the two that Officer Jenkins is after, then surely they deserve a decent education and somewhere safe and stable" Watari smiled. "You gave me those things, and I turned out well…did I not?" Watari laughed, leaving me to raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "What?"

"You really are quite a character" Watari chuckled. "I see what you mean, but L…as a headmaster I can do nothing more than provide Officer Jenkins with the details I have. I'm obliged to" I nodded softly. "You, as a teacher, are not supposed to know about this" Watari leant forwards a little, his voice sounding mischievous as my curiosity peaked. "As a detective however, you haven't come across these two students, and therefore don't know anything, so you can play on that factor if you wish to annoy this Officer Jenkins somewhat" This did seem like a good, logical and very _literal _idea. "Get to know the two a little better, your doubts about their legalities might be erased" I nodded, a new goal now set and, as Watari would say, my '_spirits slightly lifted_'. I stood up, ready to leave. "L?" I turned back to face the old man that is every inch my non-biological father, just as I'd reached the door. "Do bear in mind, that just as your doubts may be erased, they could also be confirmed. Nonetheless, detective or teacher, if you find anything about the two that is of use, I insist you tell me" I nodded before I left, closing the door to the head masters office just as the bell went for registration. I walked at an even pace all the way back to my classroom, my mind occupied by other things, not including my latest psychology class.

After a pretty monotone morning, I grabbed my 'lunch box' from my desk and tucked it under my arm, taking some more paperwork from my desk that needed marking and shuffling out of the classroom with it. My class had been let out on time and had dispersed for lunch accordingly, so I made my way back to the staff room for lunch, some marking, some tea and some idle staff gossip. On my way, however, I caught sight of the blonde twin, Marco, his bag hanging precariously on his shoulder, a severely thoughtful look on his face. The opportunity seemed too convenient to pass.

'_Get to know the two a little better, your doubts about their legalities might be erased' _

I frowned and balanced my work papers on my head, tapping the blonde in front of me with my free hand. Stunned, the young teen turned violently and stepped back instantly in shock, but relaxed even just a little as I said 'hello'.

"Sorry L, wasn't really concentrating" Marco smiled, glancing up at the pile of papers stacked on my head. "Want a hand?" I hunched over a bit more, sliding the papers perfectly off of my head and into Marco's arms. If he was going to offer, I had no objections. "Nifty" Marco grinned.

"You were certainly concentrating on something" I commented, referring back to his distant look prior to my interruption.

"Oh…well, yeah…I guess" Marco shrugged. "Just stuff"

"How are you finding your classes? Are they challenging enough for you?"

"Yeah" Marco nodded. "They're fine"

"And what about Martin? How is he finding things?"

"Uhm…Martin's a funny case" Marco chuckled lightly. "But I guess he's fine too"

"That's good then; have the two of you made any friends?"

"…does it matter?" Marco's voice hardened.

"I meant nothing by it" I noticed the tone of defense in Marco's voice; I wasn't going to push him where he didn't want to go. I didn't want to make him mad either, it would be more beneficial than anything to have him on my side, so to speak. "I was just enquiring"

"We're fine" Marco stopped in his tracks, turning to face me as I did the same.

"Hm. So, you wouldn't like some extra tutoring? Just to catch up?" I asked, hoping to allure him into some kind of tutoring. I knew for a fact that he'd adapted well, but there had to be something, some kind of insecurity that would enable me to find out some information. Marco raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. "I understand that you've grasped the content of the classes significantly well, however extra work will not go unnoticed by the headmaster, or by your teachers. I'm sure it'd put their minds to rest"

"…I'm ok" Marco frowned, in suspicion, thought or wariness. "I think my grades have reflected that"

"Again, I didn't mean anything by it. I was simply asking" Marco frowned as I continued walking ahead. "Would Martin appreciate some help? His … eagerness to learn hasn't been as obvious as yours – though, his scores are minimal of what they should be, I half expected him to rise to-"

"You shouldn't expect him to be of the same intellect as I am just because we're twins" Marco stated, his face hardened with annoyance. "He's not great at school because he doesn't like being cooped up in classrooms" His grip tightened on the papers that I had given him to carry. "He does fine when it comes to exams and tests – he's just…" Marco sighed, turning to face me and stopping once again. "He separates the things he's interested in and the things that he isn't very strictly. If he's not interested in something, then he'll either ignore it, forget it or just plain disregard it. In the 'uninterested' category is education. You should be thankful he turns up at all" Marco huffed, heaving the papers back into a comfortable position and continuing on.

"So, Martin wouldn't benefit from extra classes?"

"He'd hate you eternally" Marco smiled, smiling at me as I caught up to his pace.

"And you? You seem like the type to enjoy getting the best out of things" Marco nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I do. You never know when things might break up or be destroyed or forgotten – you have to appreciate what you have and get the best out of it" I nodded, but said nothing else. Cautiously, just as myself and Marco reached the staffroom, Marco sighed, glancing nervously from the papers and back towards myself. I wasn't sure what he was going to say, but I wasn't going to stand there and wait for him to say it. I opened the staff room door and held my arms out for the papers, the lunch box under my arm being tossed carelessly into the staff room. Marco passed me the papers, placing his hands awkwardly in his pockets. "I'm crap at poetry" He mumbled. I barely managed to hide my growing smile as I shuffled the papers in my arms. "I get some of it…but the terminology throws me – the teacher tosses it in whenever she feels like it and I can never remember them"

"When are you free to go over it?" I asked, checking that the kettle was already prepared in the staff room. From the steam it was giving off, I could assume that it was ready.

"Well…I can't do after school b-because I have extra curricular activities" He frowned. Maybe I was over thinking, because sometimes that wasn't hard to do, but the 'extra curricular activities' seemed more like an excuse than a reliable reason. "So…could we do lunchtimes?" I nodded, I was free most lunchtimes anyway, other than marking papers.

"I'll inform you as to when as soon as possible – enjoy your lunch, Marco" I disappeared inside the staff room, a coy smile on my face that I was _determined _to hide, but found it near impossible. Marco was alright enough, getting bits and pieces of information wouldn't be too hard, but Martin? He was going to be a hard nut to crack.

The bell rang for the after-lunch lesson to begin. I sauntered from the staff room and back to my classroom, relieved that I hadn't got a class to teach in that Block. As I passed the gymnasium, I caught sight of Marco strolling into the gym with his usual air of confidence, which still surprised me immensely, however, Martin trailed behind him looking rather dejected and apathetic. The more I looked at the frail looking red head, the more I began to notice the odd limp here and there, the slight touches of protection he gave parts of his stomach and arms, hidden by his clothes. It was only as Martin awkwardly bent down to retrieve the basket ball, did his shirt ride up and I notice the severe bruising on his back and, presumably, around his torso. Leaving the gymnasium, I headed back to the classroom with a new problem and concern at mind.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: I have a new supernatural fic idea (as in genre, NOT the tv series!). Any feedback is welcomed (pm me!). Basically - Would it bore you if it was matt-mello-deathnote related, again?**

**()()()()()()()()**

Runaways: Chapter 14

**Suspicions. **

**_NOBODY's Point of View_**

Mello's bones popped as his feet reached the end of the bed, his toes pointed before his ankles slowly turned to loosen up his joints, his arms outstretched skyward as he held in a long breath to expand every part of himself that he could. Once every bone was sufficiently awake, he flopped his arms back to his side and released an equally long breath, blinking at the bland ceiling above him and waiting for the morning dizzy sensation to fade away. Once it had, he checked the clock to his right, noting that it was eight o'clock in the morning.

"Overslept" He grumbled, glaring at the alarm for about a minute until he realised that the little alarm 'on' symbol wasn't there – meaning the alarm was 'off'. _Matt. _His left hand slid across the bed sheets - aiming for the body that should've been in relatively close distance to his own – but simply slid along the sheets, undisturbed and not reaching anything other than the other side of the single bed.

"Matt?" The blonde whispered, turning his head to face the empty space, his eyes wide and fully awake now. He jolted up, hands pressed into the sheets by his thighs. The automatic assumption was that Matt had been kidnapped or dragged away against his will, leaving Mello to desperately claw his way around until any trail would be found and Matt would be rescued. But the letter resting lightly on the pillow told him that Matt was ok and had left of his own accord, so Mello's heart paced itself back to its usual beat as his fingers brought it closer to his face.

_Hello Friday! _

_Will meet you at school – I'll probably be late – I'm at the doctors, ok? ;)_

_I finish at work at nine remember– new promotion – YAY!_

_Love you_

_Oh! I didn't turn the alarm off – you did!_

_Buh-bye!_

_Shroomz x_

"No I didn't" Mello whispered to himself, putting the letter on the side and pulling off the covers. "You did" He grinned. It didn't take long for him to get washed and dressed, all the while thinking about Matt's wounds and how able he would be at work. Mello knew that Matt could hold his own, but was still curious – the red head had taken a pretty bad beating. "Thinking of which..." _those bastards deserve a fucking battle for what they did. _Packing his bag, Mello took a chocolate bar from the mini fridge, wanting to save it for lunch, and took two bottles of water, one for him and one for Matt, just in case he hadn't packed his bag. Though, upon further inspection, Mello did notice that Matt's bag was gone, so felt a little better as he left the motel and hoped to God that Matt would be on time, or at least, their registration teacher would be late.

As Mello walked into the building, he realised that it really was an odd sensation when Matt wasn't at his side. It felt a little like permanently having a walking stick and then suddenly having it removed – it made him feel unstable, slightly nervous and completely paranoid. To make matters worse, he saw the Paedo teacher approach him as the blonde was _just _reaching his registration room. It would be too obvious if he ran into the room and pretended to ignore the teacher, so he paused just before the room's door and glared...

"No Martin today?" and glared... "I hope he's not unwell" and glared. "Well in that case, I shall ask you. Have you got your parent/teacher night slips?" Mello recalled signing it the night of Matt's attack, he had to copy the signature because Matt was sleeping. _I put it in Matt's bag. _

"Martin has it" Mello shrugged. "It's in his bag – he'll be here soon, he's got a doctors appointment" Paedo-teacher raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing serious I hope"

"Not really..." Mello shrugged.

"However, you both had individual slips" Light smiled.

"It was easier for mum to sign one with both our names on it, jeez" Mello glared and the bell rang for students to head to their registration classes. "I have to go-"

"Does this mean your mother will be attending?" Mello blinked at the blunt comment.

"No, she's working that night" Paedo-teacher raised his eyebrows again, a confident smile on his face.

"Then I'd like to arrange a meeting – do you know when she's not working?"

"No...her schedule changes regularly" Mello shrugged, glancing to a few other people that were filing into the room.

"Oh... well then could you find out for me? If we can't schedule a meeting then I'm afraid there will be consequences" Mello glared some more, the sinister underlying tone to the paedo-teachers voice making his hairs stand on end. "It's because you're both new, that's all. We'd really like to speak with your mother and tell her of your achievements and progress"

"I'll err...i'll see. I have to go, I'll be late"

"Right, have a good day Marco" The brown-haired teacher turned and left, leaving Mello feeling even more paranoid than before as he headed, stiffly, into the classroom for registration.

Mello told his registration teacher that Matt/Martin had a doctor's appointment, but would be here shortly. She believed it because Mello appeared to be an honest, hardworking and practically glowing student – there was no reason to doubt anything that he was saying, about his twin no less. Matt didn't show up for registration, and although it only lasted fifteen minutes, it set Mello on edge. He resisted the urge to phone the red head as he entered their first class of the day – one of the rare ones that he actually shared with Matt. Apparently their teacher was off on a school trip with some of the younger years. L was replacing her today, so Mello smiled, almost happy, as he passed the strange teacher and headed to his desk. _Still no Matt. _He unpacked his things, getting more and more paranoid by the second. _Matt mentioned OJ – what if he kidnapped him? _He turned to the door in worry, watching as students trickle in, hoping that the next one to enter would be his red head. As the students were still coming in, Matt wouldn't seem completely late if he did show up, but the more kids that came in, the less would be left, and the later Matt would seem. _Hurry up, asshole, you're scaring me. _He sighed, turning to the other door in the same room. It cheers him up slightly knowing that the classroom had two doors. Only a few of them did – one being L's psychology classroom – and he felt much safer in those rooms knowing that there were, technically, two escape routes should anything happen.

"Marco?" He look up as L shuffled over, placing a worksheet on Mello's desk and then on the one next to his – Matt's. "Are you available this lunchtime to go over your err..."

"Poetry?" He chuckled quietly. "Yeah, sure" K nodded and then frowned at the empty seat.

"No Martin today?"

"He'll be here soon – he's got a doctor's appointment. It wasn't supposed to take long" Mello shrugged, but L's elongated stare made him shiver slightly. Though, he couldn't possibly know anything. "What?" L quirked a small smile. "He'll be here" Mello said certainly.

"Maybe Martin decided that school is _uninteresting, _hm?" Mello smiled involuntarily, happy that the teacher had caught on. "Maybe a doctors visit is what Martin needs – he looked a little..._unwell _yesterday" Mello's face fell, knowing he couldnt say anything else. Then he noticed a speedy entrance from a certain red head, practically jogging over to his seat next. They shared a quick smile as he sat down.

"Hi L, you teachin' us today?" Matt put his bag on his knee as he sat at his desk, taking out his pad and paper before plonking the bag on the floor. "Awesomes" Matt grinned, trying to be enthusiastic. Mello wondered if he was faking or not. "Sorry I'm a little late – doctors appointment went overtime...you know how they are" Matt gave a shrug.

"Yes. I imagine it would with your um…. Make-up?" The blood rushed from Mello's face rapidly and it made his head swim; Matt laughed, brushing it off casually. "Next time, Martin, a note would be more sufficient than an unexplained late arrival"

"Sorry" He apologised, smiling his 'convincing' smile and making Mello chuckle as he did so; L headed back to his desk and started his class.

"You made me worry like a paranoid madman" Mello whispered, kicking the red head under the table and glaring at him.

"Sorry – I can only run so fast – I'm still in my work clothes – God forbid they ask me to take off m'hoodie" Matt rolled his eyes. He seemed more energetic that Mello thought he would be. In truth, it made him nervous.

"Are you…ok? You're unusually...active"

"M'fine" Matt smiled, but it was his 'convincing' smile and Mello knew it too well to believe it; he was lying. He changed the topic, not wanting to ruin Matt's unusually happy mood.

"Do you have the parent/teacher slip? Peado-guy was asking for it – I'll give it to L if y'like"

Matt bent down and rummaged through his bag as Mello started to take notes. Matt slid the slip across the desk and the blonde tucked it into his pocket, ready to give L at the end of the lesson.

"Thanks babe" Mello grinned, his eyes unmoving from the board straight at the front of the class.

"No problem, hot stuff" Matt whispered, slapping the blonde's thigh underneath the desk, making him laugh a little louder than he should've done or would have liked.


End file.
